Bayash Project
Key highlights:
Geology overview
The Bayash (“Tochka”) LCT pegmatites were discovered in 1956 by Soviet geologists (V.Kascheyev et al., 1956) in the process of the geological mapping (1:10000 scale). This subsequently spurred the prospecting for tantalum extremely demanded by the Soviet industry. The discovered rare element pegmatites were named “Tochka” pegmatites after the name of a nearby village. In 1992, the Tochka village was renamed as Bayash Utepov. Based on the detailed geological mapping, geochemical and geophysics surveys, petrochemical and mineralogical studies followed by channel sampling (ca. 400 channels) and drilling (79 drillholes in total), they concluded that Bayash pegmatites and altered host rocks represented a slightly eroded rare element mineralization supra-zone open to the depth, which are highly prospective for lithium resources with relatively low tantalum and tin contents.
The Baysh LCT pegmatites are mainly associated with the exocontact of porphyritic biotite plagiogranites (Tochkinskiy massif) with Upper Devonian and Low Carboniferous sedimentary-metamorphic rocks (schists) and strikes in the NW direction for up to 8km with thickness varying between 500m and 1,200m on the surface. The pegmatites are mainly represented by several hundred outcropped pegmatite veins (spodumene-bearing) with thicknesses up to 10m and up to 1.9% Li2O (Dalares, 2023, channel K-389).
2023 Geochemical Program
In 2023 Dalares conducted a geochemical sampling of the zone representing secondary dispersion halos by collecting 407 soil samples. In 2023 Dalares shipped 460 samples to SGS (Canada) for assay tests. The analysis was conducted to quantify 56 elements using ICP-OES and ICP-MS methodology. The following has been concluded based on the SGS assay results SGS and data interpretation by Dalares:
2025-2027 Drilling Program
During Phase 1 Dalares plans to drill one 150m exploration hole (DRB-1). It will intend to validate a lithium mineralization downdip traceability (pathway) of the Bariernaya vein, a large-size outcropped pegmatite vein (spodumene vein up to 4.5m in thickness and Li2O@1.9%).
In Phase 2 Dalares plans to drill 10 exploration drillholes up to 2,500m. All the core samples will be assayed by a certified international laboratory in compliance with all the QA/QC standards.
Additionally, Dalares intends to undertake an extensive geochemical prospecting program in order to identify new dispersion halos of rare-metal elements (Li, Ta, Nb, Sn, Be, Rb, Cs), along with mineralogical studies and metallurgical testwork to develop an efficient process flowsheet for lithium and other element recovery.