Kingsland (ASX:KNG) discover gallium at Leliyn
Kingsland Minerals have returned significant levels of critical metal gallium from samples taken from Leliyn, seeing a pivotal result with potential to significantly enhance the economics of its large-scale graphite discovery in the Northern Territory.
Graphite remains the focus at Leliyn, but multiple thick intersections from 150 to 266 metres with grades up to 21.1g/t of high-priced gallium have offered a potentially viable processing by-product.
Kingsland Managing Director Richard Maddocks said it had the potential to be a very significant discovery.
“Gallium is a critical element and may provide a potentially valuable by-product from the development of the Leliyn graphite project,” Mr Maddocks said.
“Our prime focus remains graphite but we will include gallium in the upcoming metallurgical test-work to begin to assess the viability of extracting it from the graphitic schist.”
Significant intersections
- 266m @ 15.0 g/t Ga from 0m (LEDD_05)
- 204m @ 15.8 g/t Ga from 0m (LERC_14)
- 150m @ 18.9 g/t Ga from 0m (LERC_13)
- 150m @ 21.1 g/t Ga from 0m (LERC_10)
Critical quarry
Both graphite and gallium are on the US critical minerals list, deemed both highly important to energy and at a high risk of supply shortages.
And both resources are currently dominated by Chinese production, securing raw supplies of critical minerals is close to the fore of global policy making, and the commodities superpower has recently introduced export controls for gallium, a crucial mineral for frequency chips and semiconductors.
A 100kg sample from Leliyn’s 20-kilometre-long graphitic schist has been submitted for metallurgical test work, and will also be assayed to determine where gallium reports to during flotation.
The current 200-250Mt at 8-11 Total Graphitic Carbon Exploration Target covers just around a quarter of that schist and a bonanza 206m @ 10.0 % Total Graphitic Carbon strike from 0m has recently headlined a series of high-end intercepts.
A maiden resource reveal will have to wait until 2024, but early drilling results and indications of highly favourable flake sizes has Leliyn in place to develop into a highly sought after Australian supply of raw materials for the battery industry.
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