Ontario’s Largest Lithium Resource

The search for battery-grade minerals in northwestern Ontario continues to grow, wider, deeper, and it is all pointed in the right direction. Frontier Lithium, one of the largest land-package holders in the region, continues to expand pegmatite showings at its PAK Lithium Project.
Imagine you’re baking a cake. After baking, you sometimes get those big, chunky crystals of sugar that didn’t dissolve properly. In the world of rocks, something similar happens, and those big “crystals” are called pegmatites.
Why do explorationists care about pegmatites? These chunky rock formations can be like a treasure chest. They often contain valuable minerals, including some that are used in batteries, like lithium. Lithium is a big deal because it’s a key ingredient in batteries that power things like phones, laptops, and electric cars. As we move towards using more and more electric vehicles and renewable energy, the demand for lithium is skyrocketing.
Pegmatites are like nature’s treasure chests and finding them could mean discovering the crucial ingredients for the batteries of the future.
Frontier Lithium announced results this Fall from four holes drilled on the Spark pegmatite in 2023, in addition to channel sampling results on what may be a potential western extension of the Spark deposit, one km away.

“The most recent findings consistently indicate the possibility of expanding the Spark resource both at greater depths and along the geological strike.” says Garth Drever, VP of Exploration. “We are excited about delving deeper into the newly discovered Spark Extension, which has yielded high-grade channel sample values. Although it is early stage, there are strong similarities with the high-grade intersection in hole PL-133-23 and the Spark extension channels. Exploring potential connection to the primary Spark deposit is one of our objectives for 2024.”
During the spring season, holes were drilled on the SW pod of the main Spark pegmatite with the objective of upgrading material near surface to the indicated category. The results suggest that the pod primarily consists of aplite with varying lithium grade throughout. Unfortunately, drilling had to be halted as it approached the higher-grade zone due to warming weather conditions. There are plans to resume drilling in this hole during the upcoming winter season.
In addition to the Spark section of their property, Frontier is working a section called Bolt, and the results there are just as encouraging.
“We’re pleased with the results of our maiden drill program on the Bolt Pegmatite,” says Drever. “Early assessments and consistent distribution of mineralized pegmatite are promising, and continuity remains strong at depth, with a notable central zone.”

Frontier Lithium Inc. - Awards Contract for Definitive Feasibility Study for the PAK Lithium Project
Located just 2.3 kilometres away from the Spark project is the PAK Lithium Project which contains North America’s highest-grade lithium resource and is the largest in Ontario by size. The project encompasses close to 27,000 hectares and remains largely unexplored. 
Frontier Lithium announced on November 1st the commencement of the first phase of the Definitive Feasibility Study (DFS) for the PAK Lithium project (“Project”) and the award of the mine and mill scope to DRA Americas Inc., a fully-owned subsidiary of DRA Global, an international multi-disciplinary engineering, project delivery, and operations management group. 
Following the encouraging results from the Company’s Preliminary Feasibility Study (PFS) on the Project, as described in the press release dated July 17, 2023. The Company is excited to be moving forward with the next stage of project engineering. The fully integrated mine, mill, and refinery flowsheet demonstrated in the PFS will be studied in two distinct scopes at the DFS level with the mine and mill scope set to conclude in the next 12-18 months.
It is projected that a mine and milling facility with an estimated output of 200,000 metric tonnes of spodumene concentrate per annum will be brought online in two stages.
Stage 1 – Winter Road Access: The existing winter road will be used for the construction of the first concentrator line targeting the high purity PAK deposit and facilitating the production of up to 100,000 metric tonnes per annum of premium spodumene concentrates. Stage 1 aims to leverage the winter road for transportation to market to facilitate rapid market penetration with the Company’s premium spodumene concentrates.
Stage 2 – All Season Road Access: The development and ramping of the second mill line into production will be completed concurrent with the targeted completion of an all-season access-road to the region. This expansion will enable the export of additional premium spodumene concentrates, to enhance Frontier’s market presence.
Implementing this phased construction approach serves to mitigate project risks, capitalize on existing infrastructure, and focuses the Company on short-term concentrate production goals. Frontier remains fully financed for the successful completion of the Phase 1 DFS, reinforcing its commitment to driving sustainable lithium solutions in the Canadian mining industry.

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Tags: Northern Ontario / Exploration / Battery Metals / All Articles