Critical Resources (ASX:CRR) Northern Prospects program positions Mavis Lake for district-scale growth

Critical Resources has outlined a comprehensive 2026 exploration program aimed at advancing the Northern Prospects at its 100% owned Mavis Lake Lithium Project in Ontario, with the objective of unlocking resource growth beyond the current Main Zone and establishing additional development optionality within a rapidly maturing North American lithium district.

Highlights

• More than 58,000m of drilling since 2023 has confirmed spodumene-bearing pegmatites extending beyond the existing Mineral Resource envelope, including intersections such as 74.4m at 1.18% Li₂O and 50.2m at 1.28% Li₂O.

• The Northern Prospects host multiple high-priority targets, led by the Gullwing pegmatite, which carries an Exploration Target of 7–10Mt at 0.3–1.2% Li₂O.

• Feasibility-level metallurgical test work has demonstrated high spodumene recovery and production of a clean, high-grade concentrate suitable for downstream conversion.

• The project benefits from highway and rail access, hydro power, and established permitting pathways supported by provincial and federal frameworks.

The Northern Prospects are positioned as a growth corridor within the broader Mavis Lake landholding, which now exceeds 400 km² and hosts more than 31 identified LCT-type pegmatites.

Within this setting, the Gullwing, Tot and Little Wing corridor extends for approximately 10 km and is interpreted to represent a structurally controlled, district-scale system.

At Gullwing, surface mapping and historical drilling have delineated pegmatite widths of up to 80 m over an exposed strike of around 500 m, while high-resolution UAV aeromagnetics have defined a north–south magnetic low interpreted as the primary emplacement corridor.

Rock-chip sampling has returned assays up to 6.78% Li₂O, and LIBS fractionation work has confirmed evolved pegmatite chemistry consistent with spodumene mineralisation.

The planned 2026 drill program is designed to test these bodies to vertical depths of approximately 200 m, with the aim of defining geometry, continuity and grade distribution across multiple prospects, including Gullwing, Tot, Little Wing, Coates, Drope and the Corona Field.

This work is intended to advance conceptual targets towards Inferred and Indicated classification and to provide the geological foundation for future development scenarios that may complement or partially diversify reliance on the existing Main Zone resource.

Critical Resources’ Managing Director, Tim Wither, said that

“recent drilling success, advanced geochemical datasets, and structural modelling give us strong confidence in the potential outside the Mavis Lake Main Zone”,

noting that the Northern Prospects provide the company with enhanced operational flexibility as the project progresses.

From a corporate and development perspective, Mavis Lake is underpinned by an existing JORC Inferred Mineral Resource of 8.0Mt at 1.07% Li₂O and a broader project Exploration Target of 18–29Mt at 0.8–1.2% Li₂O, reflecting the scale of the pegmatite system across both the Main Zone and the Northern Prospects.

The location in north-western Ontario provides immediate access to the Trans-Canada Highway, rail, hydro power and natural gas, as well as proximity to North American battery and conversion facilities.

Engagement of SLR Consulting and Pathway Group is intended to advance baseline environmental studies, permitting and targeted government liaison in parallel with exploration.

In an industry context increasingly focused on secure, regionally diversified lithium supply chains, the 2026 program emphasises the conversion of extensive geological, geochemical and geophysical datasets into drill-defined resources, while progressing metallurgical, environmental and regulatory workstreams in parallel.

The stated objective is to establish how multiple spodumene-bearing centres within the Mavis Lake district could support staged growth and development flexibility, positioning the project to move from a single-zone resource towards a broader, multi-hub lithium system as technical and permitting milestones are achieved.

Please note the following valuable information before using this website. 

Independent Research 

Market Open Australia is intended to be used only for educational and informative purposes, and any information on this website should not be taken as investment advice or guidance. It is important to conduct your own research before making any investment decisions, which should be based on your own investment needs and personal circumstances. Any investment decisions based on information contained on this website should be taken in line with independent financial advice from a qualified professional or should be independently researched and verified.