Askari Metals has commenced its Phase 1 field programme at EPL 7626 near the Uis Tin Mine in Namibia, with results from the campaign expected to determine a series of trenching and drilling programmes across its growing portfolio in the Uis district.
The Australian-listed explorer announced on 26 May that the programme is underway at its wholly owned licence in the Erongo Region, targeting polymetallic mineralisation including tin, tantalum, rubidium, caesium and lithium.
The work comprises geological mapping, rock-chip sampling and a licence-wide soil geochemical sampling campaign designed to identify buried lithium-caesium-tantalum (LCT) pegmatites beneath surface cover.
The company’s future work is being driven by the results of an in-house remote sensing study conducted over EPL 7626.
The study identified lithological zones with spectral signatures consistent with tin-tantalum pegmatite-hosting mica schists already mapped on neighbouring EPL 7345.
Askari believes these same geological units extend northeastwards from EPL 7345 through Andrada Mining’s Uis Tin Mine and into EPL 7626 beneath surface cover, highlighting the potential for concealed pegmatite mineralisation.
The study utilised Sentinel-2 multispectral satellite imagery combined with Principal Component Analysis (PCA) and decorrelation stretch techniques to enhance geological interpretation and identify prospective targets.
According to the company, the refined hyperspectral methodology has already generated a pipeline of pegmatite prospects, including MW, Eve, GP and K10 on EPL 7345, as well as Tawny, Martial and Zebedeus 1 on EPL 8535.
Executive director Gino D’Anna said the same exploration model had enabled the company to track the mineralised trend across the broader Uis district and onto EPL 7626.
“Utilising this same exploration model, the Company has been able to interpret the mineralised trend north eastwards from EPL 7345 through the Uis Tin Mine and onto EPL 7626,” D’Anna said.
To test that interpretation, Askari has established a 400-metre by 40-metre soil sampling grid across approximately 68 square kilometres of EPL 7626. The programme will collect 4,258 samples to detect geochemical halos associated with buried pegmatites.
A key component of the programme is the use of the company’s on-site pellet press and Laser-Induced Breakdown Spectroscopy (LIBS) equipment, which allows samples to be processed and analysed rapidly in the field. Askari believes the technology will significantly reduce assay turnaround times and accelerate target generation.
“With the Company’s pellet press and LIBS machines on site at Uis, the Company will be able to ensure a much quicker assay turnaround time,” D’Anna said.
The current programme, including the receipt and interpretation of results, is expected to be completed within approximately three months. The outcomes will determine the next phase of exploration.
Planned future work at the Uis Project includes a second phase of infill soil geochemical sampling on EPL 7626, a first-phase trenching programme on EPL 7626, a first-phase trenching programme on EPL 8535, a reverse-circulation drilling campaign on EPL 7345, and a second-phase trenching programme on EPL 7345.
“The next few months promises a steady flow of news from Uis,” D’Anna said.
The Uis Project is located adjacent to Andrada Mining’s operating Uis Tin Mine, which hosts a JORC-compliant mineral resource estimate of 77.51 million tonnes grading 0.79% lithium oxide, 0.15% tin and 82 parts per million tantalum, making it one of Namibia’s most significant hard-rock lithium and tin districts.
