The Bitterwasser project. Source: Arcadia Minerals
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  • Arcadia Minerals (AM7) discovers mineralised brines and shallow clay bodies at the Bitterwasser project in Namibia
  • Through stratigraphic drilling, the company found the brines mineralised with lithium from 28 metres below surface over a geophysical anomaly
  • Rudimentary test work over samples taken in the first 50 centimetres of the brine confirmed up to 60,082 milligrams per litre of total dissolved solids
  • CEO Philip le Roux says the company is now “well advanced” to potentially discover a new lithium province and the first of its kind in Africa
  • Arcadia Minerals is up 2.56 per cent, trading at 20 cents at 11:40 am AEST

Arcadia Minerals (AM7) has discovered mineralised brines and shallow clay bodies at the Bitterwasser lithium brines and clay project in Namibia.

Through stratigraphic drilling, the company found brines mineralised with lithium from 28 metres below surface over a geophysical anomaly.

Arcadia’s exploration was designed to confirm the existence of a large, aqueous body containing elevated levels of total dissolved solids in the centre of the geophysical anomaly.

The company also looked to test the existence of clays within anomalies located inside the Bitterwasser Pan district.

Rudimentary test work over samples taken in the first 50 centimetres of the brine confirmed up to 60,082 milligrams per litre of total dissolved solid.

It also proved lithium was present in the brines of up to 31 parts per million (ppm), measured from samples taken without containment protocols.   

“We are also very pleased to have confirmed that the brines contain indicative lithium mineralisation at the surface of the brine water-table after utilising rudimentary grab sampling methodology,” Arcadia CEO Philip le Roux said.

“In addition, the likely source of the lithium mineralisation exhibits elevated lithium content, which is known to be sufficient to feed a sufficiently mineralised brine basin.”

Additional clay formations were also discovered at shallow depths below the Eden Pan, where a mineral resource was defined. These samples have now been sent for assaying.

“It is also useful to note that the brine body is contained within a coarse matrix of sediments, which should be conducive to positive flow rates and that there are clay bodies at shallow depths below the existing clay Eden mineral resource, pointing to the potential of further mineralised clays at depth,” Mr le Roux added.

Targeted specialist sonic drilling operations are next on Arcadia’s list, which are expected to begin before the end of August to test the average lithium grade of the brines to depth.

“We are now well advanced to potentially discovering a new lithium province, which would be the first of its kind in Africa,” Mr le Roux said.

AM7 was up 2.56 per cent, trading at 20 cents at 11:40 am AEST.

AM7 by the numbers
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