Drilling indicates beryl presence at Catalina Resources’ (ASX:CTN) Dundas Project - Kalkine Media

Highlights

• Catalina Resources has intersected pegmatites in 24 aircore holes, which were part of the drill program conducted at the Dundas Project.
• Many pegmatite intervals have been found with accessory minerals, such as tourmaline and beryl, during geological logging of air core holes.
• The drill hole 22DAC016 hit a blue green 5m wide interval geologically interpreted as the mineral beryl, a priority critical mineral.
• The company is anticipating multi-element assays in next few weeks.

In the latest announcement, Catalina Resources (ASX:CTN), a diversified mineral exploration and mine development company, has shared details about the progress made at the Dundas Project after the completion of its 105-hole air core drilling.

The company has intersected pegmatites in 24 aircore holes. It is expected that multi-element assays (base metals, Be Li, Ta, Cs, REEs) will be received in a few weeks. After receiving the assays, CTN will take a call on to carry forward exploration plans for the site.

Also, it was recorded during geological logging of air core holes that many pegmatite intervals have accessory minerals, such as beryl and tourmaline.

Beryl, a priority critical mineral containing beryllium oxide, is on Australia’s 2022 listing of minerals that are important to the world’s global technology needs. It is found in granite and granite pegmatites. Beryl can be associated with the lithium bearing minerals lepidolite and spodumene.

Air core drilling summary, location of hole 22DAC016 for southern portion of the tenement E63/2046. Underlying image is the regional aeromagnetic image

Blue-green interval geologically interpreted as the mineral beryl

The air core hole 22DAC016 was included in the 105-hole air core drill program that was recently concluded in December 2022 at the Dundas Project. The hole 22DAC016 has intersected a blue green 5m broad interval in the southern portion of the tenement E63/2046. As per geological study, it has been interpreted as the mineral beryl (termed as aqua marine). However, it will be confirmed once assay results are received.   

A prism crystal of blue-green aqua marine, seen in hole 22DAC016.

To determine the mineralisation potential of pegmatite, occurrences of accessory minerals play a significant role. Such occurrences indicate that the late-stage crystallising residual or pegmatitic melt, which is obtained from the granitic magma, might have been enriched in incompatible elements such as Li, Be, B, Cs, Rb, Ta and REEs.

Data source: Company update; Image source: © 2023 Krish Capital Pty. Ltd.

CTN shares traded at AU$0.009 on 16 January 2023.