Arkle Resources plc identified several targets of interest with anomalous polymetallic discoveries from prospecting on its Aughrim block in County Wicklow.
PROMISING
The four licences comprise a 152.01km2 extension of the company’s Mine River gold project on the border with County Wexford.
Today’s published findings are from samples taken in November 2023 from priority targets.
Analysis revealed anomalous lithium oxide (Li2O) up 0.09%, with 26 of 59 samples showing concentrations greater than 0.02% Li2O.
Minor spodumene crystals, constituting less than 1% of the total rock mineralogy, were also observed in some pegmatite and aplite samples.
A “significant” concentration of beryllium and lithium in one pegmatite sample, at 0.246% and 0.03% Li2O, indicated the “potential presence of economic beryllium”.
The Ballinglen tin and tungsten target showed 0.028% tin, 0.179% tungsten and an anomalous lithium presence of 0.08% Li2O.
Sampling at the historic Kingston copper site gave “encouraging results” including 0.388% copper, 0.089% lead, 0.614% zinc and minor cobalt at 35.6 parts per million.
Arkle also detected anomalous gold grades with findings of 0.74ppm gold hosted within quartz vein float.
The presence of rare earth elements included 104ppm cerium, 27.4ppm dysprosium and “other significant concentrations”.
The company said that, although not currently economic, the combined rare earths exceeding 0.05% represented an “intriguing exploration target”.
Arkle plans further geochemical exploration on the anomalous areas to discover Aughrim’s potential.
Chairman John Teeling added: “The discovery of anomalous lithium oxide concentrations and identification of spodumene is particularly promising.
“These results, coupled with the presence of other valuable metals, reinforce the prospectivity of the area and will guide our focused exploration efforts.
“The additional prospect of gold in the region adds further excitement to our ongoing analysis.”