International Lithium Corp. Reports Drilling Underway At Blackstairs Lithium Project, Ireland
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Vancouver B.C. April 09, 2013: International Lithium Corp. (“ILC” or the “Company”) (ILC: TSX-V) reports that drilling is underway at the Blackstairs Lithium Project in Ireland. Further to the Company’s news release dated November 4, 2012 and in association with strategic partner Ganfeng Lithium Co. Ltd. (“Ganfeng”) headquartered in Jiangxi, China, the ongoing work at Blackstairs has intersected spodumene-bearing pegmatites in drill core at the Aclare House prospect.
Aurum Exploration Services, an Irish geological consultancy, reviewed historical deep overburden sampling, conducted lithogeochemical sampling, soil geochemical sampling and ran electrical resistivity tests over known pegmatite occurrences that are situated under variable thickness overburden. The results from these studies are now being utilized for drill targeting in conjunction with confirmation drilling of historical work. The drilling is expected to occur at two prospects, Aclare House and Moylisha, each with historical records of lithium and rare earth element mineralization. The work is being carried out as part of the “due diligence” stage of Ganfeng’s increasing partnership in this project in which it can earn up to a 100% interest (NR dated Oct 2, 2012). Diamond drilling is expected to be complete by the end of April 2013.
“Based on our experience at other lithium pegmatites we are encouraged by the coarse grained, spodumene bearing intersections we have encountered. This is a key step in re-establishing the historical work in the area and we look forward to forthcoming assay results,” notes Mr. John Harrop, VP Exploration, who is currently visiting the site to observe progress during the preliminary drilling.
Kirill Klip, President of International Lithium Corp. states, “I am pleased to report the initial kickoff to the Blackstairs exploration Project in Ireland has met ILC’s objectives as we continue to take strides forward in identifying the potential of the property and working closely with our joint venture partner Ganfeng Lithium at advancing our operations.”
Blackstairs Project
The Blackstairs project, comprised of eight mineral exploration licences totalling 292 square kilometres, is located 80 km south of Dublin straddling the Counties of Carlow and Wicklow in Leinster, south-east Ireland. The Property encompasses an extensive NE-SW oriented 50 kilometre long rare metals pegmatite belt situated within the East Carlow Deformation Zone along the eastern side of the Leinster Granite. Approximately 19 significant lithium pegmatite occurrences have been discovered within the Property to date, primarily as boulder trails with five buried pegmatites known through past trenching and drilling.
Lithium bearing pegmatite occurrences were first reported in the area in 1970. In the period through to 1977, Irish Base Metals carried out a preliminary exploration program comprising prospecting, sampling, trenching and geophysical surveys culminating in 47 short boreholes totalling 2,300 metres at 4 of the 19 lithium pegmatite occurrences over a number of seasons.
Due to the prevalent overburden cover and scarcity of outcrop, prospecting for lithium pegmatite boulders was the most successful exploration method utilised to identify priority target areas. The relative location, size and quantity of pegmatite boulders within the dry stone field boundaries provided a reliable indication for the approximate position of buried pegmatites. The Aclare House occurrence, situated in the center of the Property has witnessed the most exploration activity on the Property and was initially discovered through this exploration approach.
Thirty-three short drill holes totalling 1,703m were drilled at Aclare House. A pegmatite body up to 20 metres wide and traced for more than 400 metres along strike was delineated and a pre-NI43-101 historical resource of 570,000 tonnes grading 1.5% Li2O was reported. (A Qualified Person has not done sufficient work to classify the historical estimate as current mineral resources, the issuer is not treating the historical estimate as current mineral resources and the historical estimate should not be relied upon.)
Five drill holes, for a total of 163 metres, were drilled at the Stranakelly occurrence situated proximal to the northeast Property boundary. Lithium-bearing pegmatite mineralization was intersected in four of the holes with hole STK3 grading 1.85% Li2O over 5.3 metres.
Five drill holes, for a total of 212 metres, were drilled at the Moylisha occurrence situated approximately 10 kms northeast of Aclare House. The width of the pegmatite body encountered varied between 5 and 10 metres with one hole grading 1.66% Li2O over 9.4 metres.
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2013-04-19 02:00:17
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