Pilbara Minerals Ltd. said May 29 that it posted a 36% increase from its January 2017 estimate in the total measured, indicated and inferred resource for its Pilgangoora tantalum-lithium project in Western Australia.
The estimate now stands at 213 million tonnes grading 1.32% lithium oxide, or Li2O, 116 parts per million tantalum pentoxide, or Ta2O5, and 0.69% ferric oxide, or Fe2O3, containing 2.82 million tonnes of Li2O and 54.6 million pounds of Ta2O5.
Resources in the combined measured and indicated categories increased 35% to 129 million tonnes grading 1.35% Li2O, 123 ppm Ta2O5 and 0.61% Fe2O3 containing 1.75 million tonnes of Li2O and 35.1 million pounds of Ta2O5.
Results from exploration drilling programs carried out from January 2017 to April were incorporated in the resource upgrade.
A new ore reserve for Pilgangoora, to be based on this mineral resource update, is due to be complete in the September quarter. The ore reserve in June 2017 was 80.3 million tonnes grading 1.27% Li2O, 123 ppm Ta2O5 and 1.08% Fe2O3.
