Arkle Resources plc has started sampling at its two lithium brine licences in the Makgadikgadi salt pans in Botswana.
ANALYSIS
The programme comes ahead of early-stage prospecting due to begin in days on its Zimbabwe hard rock licences also prospective for lithium.
Covering a total 837km2 the Makgadikgadi licences showed in July the presence of a conductive layer, expected to be brines.
The company plans to take 5kg samples over two weeks from below the “hard crusty salt ore” using an augur drill before sending them for analysis.
Arkle said that if it detects lithium traces, it would undertake a structural grid sampling programme using larger augers to reach the shallow water table.
Samples will be sent for direct lithium extraction analysis to identify grades.
The company’s three Zimbabwe licences cover 153 hectares in the Insiza area of Matabeleland.
Arkle said it was undertaking ground reconnaissance to look for traces of spodumene and / or lepidolite rock, after earlier work indicated their presence.