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Highlights
- CSIRO report recommends expanding research at Tambourah's lithium project.
- New hyperspectral data identifies promising LCT pegmatite zones at Shaw River.
- Field work at Shaw River will focus on mapping and sampling lithium-rich pegmatites.
The collaboration between CSIRO and junior explorer Tambourah Metals (ASX:TMB) has yielded a significant report that will likely enhance the company’s lithium exploration efforts at the Russian Jack–Haystack Well project in Western Australia. The report, compiled by CSIRO, suggests that Tambourah should extend its research and development program in light of promising findings related to lithium-caesium-tantalum (LCT) pegmatites in the region.
The research highlights a potential zone of LCT pegmatites located on the margins of the Bonney Downs Monzogranite, a geological structure known for hosting occurrences of tin, tantalum, and lithium. These pegmatites are considered valuable targets in the search for lithium-bearing mineralization, making the Russian Jack–Haystack Well project an important focus for Tambourah’s exploration activities.
This report is part of an ongoing collaboration between CSIRO and Tambourah, which leverages advanced geospatial datasets, machine learning, and field sample data to identify potential target zones with greater accuracy. The data integration aims to streamline exploration efforts, reducing the search space and improving the efficiency of the mineral discovery process. The use of HyMap airborne hyperspectral imaging, collected in August over the Russian Jack–Haystack Well project area, has been instrumental in pinpointing mineralogical features related to the LCT pegmatites.
The study was further supported by a $160,000 federal government research and development tax incentive payment, underscoring the commitment to advancing scientific and exploratory capabilities in the region. The hyperspectral data also contributed to identifying exploration targets at the Shaw River tin project, which Tambourah acquired from Minrex Resources in mid-2023.
Tambourah’s Shaw River tenement includes the historic Shaw River tin field, which has seen significant mining activity for alluvial deposits in the past. Historical production from this area includes 6,585 tonnes of tin and 548 tonnes of tantalite concentrates, highlighting the site's rich potential. Recent fieldwork at Shaw River has already returned encouraging results, with rock chip samples showing high grades of lithium, tin, and tantalum, including up to 3,660 parts per million (ppm) of lithium, 4,251 ppm of tin, and 129 ppm of tantalum.
Most of the elevated lithium values at Shaw River are associated with biotite-bearing pegmatites, which are believed to be the primary source of the tin and tantalum mineralization. As a result, Tambourah is now planning additional field reconnaissance work at Shaw River to map and sample the LCT pegmatites, with the goal of defining drill targets for hard rock cassiterite (tin) exploration.
With continued support from CSIRO and advancements in geospatial technology, Tambourah is well-positioned to further develop its lithium exploration projects and build on its recent successes in Western Australia.
