ALX Resources Corp. [AL-TSXV; ALXEF-OTC; 6LLN-FSE] provided an update on its lithium exploration activities at the Hydra lithium project, located in the Eeyou Istchee/James Bay region of northern Quebec, Canada.
Hydra is a 50/50 joint venture between ALX and Forrestania Resources Limited [FRS-ASX] of West Perth, Australia formed to explore for lithium-cesium-tantalum (LCT) bearing pegmatites, with ALX as operator.
The prospecting program that was suspended in early June 2023 due to unprecedented forest fire conditions has resumed in the northeastern area of Hydra. This area remains unaffected by the fires. The ALX geological crew has mobilized to the area of the Python East and Python West sub-projects where wilderness lodge accommodations were secured. The lodge is serviced by air and serves as a base for the helicopter contracted for the work program. Prospecting is guided by the use of satellite imagery and spectral analysis for lithium and associated pathfinder elements. The work program at Python East and Python West will continue into early September.
ALX utilized an artificial intelligence (AI) search of Quebec government assessment files to locate the Python West lithium showing reported during a historical uranium exploration program. A 2008 sample from the Python West pegmatite returned an anomalous value of 330 parts per million (ppm) lithium, a showing which will be followed up in the current prospecting program.
Forrestania shares ALX’s opinion that Hydra holds potential for LCT pegmatites, supported by the encouraging exploration and development results from nearby projects. Patriot Battery Metals reported its maiden NI 43-101-compliant Inferred mineral resource estimate for its Corvette Lithium Project consisting of 109,242,000 metric tonnes (Mt) averaging 1.42% Li2O and 160 ppm Ta2O5 containing 1,551,000 Mt Li2O and 3,835,000 Mt Lithium Carbonate Equivalent. ALX’s Volta sub-project lies 20 km east of the Corvette Deposit and is 1 km north of the Corvette east property boundary.
The Viper and Cobra sub-projects are located 50 km north of Q2 Metals Corp.’s Mia Lithium Property, where numerous spodumene-bearing pegmatite outcrop samples have returned significant lithium grades of up to 4.37% Li2O. Both Viper and Cobra host similar greenstone belt settings.
Hydra consists of eight sub-projects totaling 29,262 hectares (72,306 acres) known as Volta (4,751 ha.), Echo (5,566 ha.), Nike (2,462 ha.), Sprite (3,437 ha.), Cobra (4,249 ha.), Viper (1,280 ha.), Python East (3,218 ha.) and Python West (4,298 ha.), located within a fertile lithium exploration district that hosts the James Bay, Rose, Whabouchi and Corvette lithium deposits and numerous other lithium showings.
The Hydra sub-projects were selected for staking based upon the presence of historical lithium, cesium and tantalum lake sediment anomalies and by a review of public-domain geological mapping. A proprietary AI process for pegmatite detection by KorrAI of Halifax, NS is ongoing to prioritize target definition for the 2023 prospecting program.