OD6 Metals (ASX:OD6) rediscovers Big Jim fluorspar lode at Quinn Project in Nevada
OD6 Metals has confirmed the rediscovery of the historically referenced Big Jim Fluorspar Lode at its Quinn Fluorspar Project in Nevada, confirming a significant new drill target within the Quinn Fluorspar Project.
The discovery adds a third fluorspar system alongside Mammoth and Horseshoe, with recent field reconnaissance locating historical workings and confirming multiple zones of fluorspar mineralisation at surface.
Highlights
- Historical Big Jim workings were located through targeted field reconnaissance
- A massive purple fluorspar vein was identified at surface and inferred as the historically reported lode with 98.6% CaF2
- Footwall breccia with the lower contact not exposed was identified and inferred as historically reported material grading 60% CaF2
- Historical workings have been mapped over >220m (>700 feet) and remain open to the north and south
- Multiple rock samples have been collected and are pending assay
- Metallurgical samples have been collected for optical sorting, crushing, grinding and flotation test work
Big Jim is located approximately 1km NNE of the Horseshoe Fluorspar Deposit and was discovered and intermittently exploited by Frank and Joe “Big Jim” Perkins from 1934.
A 1947 report documented a shallow dipping high-grade lode over 6 feet (2m) in width, with reported grades of 94.6%, 96% and 98.6% CaF2 from the vein, while historical reports also referenced footwall mineralisation in “gangue” material grading up to 60% CaF2.
OD6 said recent field observations confirmed a jasperoidal cap above the vein system and identified a breccia footwall containing limestone clasts infilled with fluorspar, with the company noting the lower contact of the breccia was not observed.
A separate Rocket lode has also been identified upslope over approximately 1m in width, while historical reports referenced a third lode approximately 20m beneath Big Jim that has not yet been observed in the field.
OD6 Managing Director Brett Hazelden said the discovery adds another target within the Quinn project area.
“Through some clever geological detective work, and historic descriptions dating back to the 1940s, the Nevada team was able to narrow the search area for the Big Jim Fluorspar Lode.”
OD6 entered an exclusive option agreement to acquire the Quinn Fluorspar Project on 4 March 2026, which is located approximately 220km north of Las Vegas and approximately 300km by road from the US Strategic Minerals Reserve at Hawthorne, Nevada.
The company said the United States is currently 100% reliant on imports of fluorspar, which it noted is used in battery technologies, AI chip manufacture, nuclear fuels, aerospace and defence technologies.
The company said its due diligence program will now focus on receipt and interpretation of assay results, expanded channel and rock chip sampling, validation of historic high-grade results, detailed geological and structural mapping, soil geochemistry programs, drill target prioritisation, permitting for maiden drilling and metallurgical test work planning.