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Dart maps Victoria lithium-rich pegmatite swarm

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Matt BirneySponsored
Example of a large previously unidentified potential pegmatite dyke identified in LiDAR data.
Camera IconExample of a large previously unidentified potential pegmatite dyke identified in LiDAR data. Credit: File

Dart Mining has leapt out of the gates seeking a first movers’ advantage mapping a swarm of prospective lithium-rich pegmatite dykes in Victoria. The company used high resolution LiDAR technology to map the dykes over what until now was a largely untested 20 kilometre by 12km zone in north-eastern Victoria. Interestingly, the tenements also include more than 260 historic gold and tin mine sites and workings.

Earlier this year Dart acquired more than 575 square kilometres of LiDAR coverage across its key target areas in north-eastern Victoria, including the Buckland Valley goldfield, the Sandy Creek gold project, the Dorchap lithium-tin-tantalum dyke swarm and the company’s new Granite Flat copper-gold porphyry discovery.

LiDAR, which stands for “Light Detection and Ranging” is a remote sensing method that uses a pulsed laser to measure the distance from an airborne capture system, such as a plane or drone, to the surface of the earth. The LiDAR measurements are then collated to form a three-dimensional, digital elevation model which has a wide variety of uses from surveying and mining through to land use planning and military applications.

However, one of the features that makes LiDAR particularly useful is its ability to differentiate objects of varying densities such as vegetation and water. In the computer models these items can be ‘seen through’ or stripped away to reveal the underlying landforms in great detail, which can expedite mineral exploration in areas which are particularly rugged and heavily vegetated.

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Initial modelling and evaluation of the dataset by Dart showed outcropping rock, old logging tracks and drill pads dating back to the 1980s. The company has reportedly since employed GeoCloud Analytics to reprocess the data utilising cutting edge machine learning and cluster analysis to further define the location of historic workings, faults, bush access tracks and even old drill pads.

Importantly, according to Dart the reprocessed data has identified over 220 new outcrops that display a similar surface expression and characteristics comparable to confirmed pegmatite outcrops.

The company says many of these new outcrops lie within the fractionated zone with the strongest potential for lithium-caesium-tantalum pegmatite mineralisation. Chip sampling over the Dorchap Range pegmatites by Dart in March this year returned some rewarding results including 10 metres at an encouraging 1.38 per cent lithium oxide from the Holloway Dyke and 10m at 1.22 per cent lithium oxide from the Scrubby Dyke.

The recently completed LiDAR data acquisition and interpretation have contributed greatly to our knowledge of the Dorchap Dyke Swarm and have revealed a large number of previously unknown pegmatite targets for evaluation. That many of these new targets fall within the boundaries of our identified fractionation zone is very encouraging and lends further weight to Dart’s Dorchap Lithium Project prospectivity.

Dart Mining Chairman, James Chirnside

In addition, the company reported reanalysis of the LiDAR dataset identified 264 historic mine sites and surface workings, many of which are new to those recorded in the Geological Survey of Victoria database.

Dart says using the location of the historic workings in conjunction with mapped structural trends will assist to differentiate orogenic gold workings from tin workings and provide greater clarity in identifying sampling sites for the upcoming field campaign.

Dart’s target generation looks to be gathering some serious momentum as it heads into the 2021-2022 field season. The company’s saddlebags are overflowing with prospective lithium and gold targets and market observers will be keen to see what boots on the on ground will unearth - perhaps Victoria’s first lithium-caesium-tantalum deposit timed perfectly with the sharply intensifying global push towards green energy and electrification?

Is your ASX-listed company doing something interesting? Contact: matt.birney@wanews.com.au

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