Elementos Limited (ASX: ELT) has confirmed significant fluorite (also known as fluorspar) mineralisation at its Cleveland Tin Project in Tasmania.
Fluorite is listed as a critical mineral by the USA, Canada, Japan, China, and the European Union.
The results are based on follow-up assays from a drill hole completed in Elementos’ 2022 diamond drilling program, as well as mineralogical results from metallurgical test work.
The presence of fluorite within Cleveland’s tin-copper resource was first confirmed by an optical mineralogy study completed by ALS Laboratories, in conjunction with McKnight Mineralogy, during 2022.
The study involved the preparation of polished thin sections and scanning by QXRD analysis, finding that fluorite comprised 8.7% of the assessed composite sample.
Initial assay results from the drill hole, reported on 15th June 2022, were for the standard project elements of tin, copper, tungsten, molybdenum and bismuth.
Fluorine, which was only identified as a mineral of interest during the mineralogy program, requires a separate method of analysis (alkali fusion).
These analyses were subsequently carried out at the ALS facility in Vancouver, Canada.
A significant fluorite result from this additional assay data was 89.85 metres at 5.44% fluorite from 205.3 metres, including:
- 14.2 metres at 0.36% tungsten and 10.2% fluorite from 221.0 metres – Tungsten Zone (Upper Foleys Zone)
- 3.85 metres at 1.05% tin, 0.28% copper and 5.36% fluorite from 64.25 metres – Tin-Copper Zone (Battery Lode)
Elementos Managing Director Joe David said: “The confirmation of two broad zones of significant fluorite mineralisation intersected at our Cleveland Tin Project is additional confirmation that we sit on a very special asset here in Tasmania.
“The historic tin mine is one which is clearly highly mineralised and just starting to show it’s potential as a source of other critical minerals.
“While the project has Mineral Resource Estimates published for tin, copper and tungsten, the potential for additional minerals such as fluorite to add to the mineral suite for the project is just beginning to be assessed and understood.
“The company will continue to progress its understanding of the fluorite mineralisation event through further in our field and laboratory programs, in addition to desktop reviews of historical papers and mining reports from previous mining operations.
“It is also important to note that tungsten has been identified as a critical mineral by the Australian Government, with tungsten, fluorite and tin having been identified as critical minerals by a number of Australia’s strategic partners (inlcuding the USA, UK and the EU).”
