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Kene

Kene Project

Key highlights:

  • The project area includes 9 exploration blocks (20.1 km2);
  • The Project is located within Kalba-Narym Rare Element Pegmatitic Belt well known for its tantalum, niobium, beryllium and tin deposits mined during the Soviet time;
  • High-grade lithium rare element pegmatites and rare element granites (up to 2.8% Li2O) with rich spodumene mineralization outcropped at the surface;
  • The proven expansion zone of outcropped spodumene pegmatites spans an area of 5,000m х 750m at a confirmed depth of 500m opening in all directions and at depth;
  • Extremely high distribution of outcropped spodumene-bearing pegmatite dykes and veins with visible lithium mineralization represented by spodumene crystals (up to 20cm in length) where spodumene represents a host pegmatite mineral;
  • Identified multiple spatially separated Li, Cs and Rb anomalies;
  • Exclusive right for a mining license and short lead time for securing environmental permit.

 

Geology overview

The Kene LCT pegmatites were discovered in 1974 by Soviet geologists who were focusing on exclusively tantalum and tin resource assessment. Further to detailed geological mapping, geochemical and geophysics surveys, petrochemical and mineralogical studies followed by channel sampling (120 channels) and drilling (70 drillholes in total), they concluded that the Kenebai pegmatites and altered host rocks represent 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 Kene LCT pegmatites are mainly associated with the endocontact of porphyritic double mica granites (Zhaman—Tortkarinskiy massif) with Upper Devonian and Low Carboniferous sedimentary-metamorphic rocks (schists) and strikes in the NW direction for up to 5km with thickness varying between 500 and 750m on the surface. The pegmatites are mainly represented by several hundred outcropped pegmatite veins (spodumene-bearing) with thickness up to 10m, up to Li2O 2.8% (Averin, 1973) and Li2O 2.2% in the depth of 100m (drillhole DR-1, 2023).

 

2022 Drilling Program

In 2022 Dalares completed its first verification drillhole (DR-1) at Kene’s Central Zone. The 150-meter drillhole was drilled nearby a historical hole C-601 drilled in 1991. The drill core assay results from Anzaplan Laboratory (Germany) demonstrated an outstanding lithium mineralization with the average grade of Li2O at 0.48% from 30m to 120m depth and allowed to determine 3 levels of lithium-rich intervals:

  • 0.56% Li2O over 1.3m from 32.9m to 34.2m;
  • 0.85% Li2O over 9.2m from 61.2m to 70.4m;
  • 1.12% Li2O over 9.2m from 101.2m to 110.4m.

 

2023 Geochemical Program

In 2023 Dalares conducted the geochemical sampling of the zone representing the secondary dispersion halos by collecting 572 soil samples. In 2023 Dalares shipped 608 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 and data interpretation by Dalares:

  • A rare-metal association (Ta-Cs-Sn-Li-Rb-Be-Tl-Nb-Ga-Bi) was determined based on the dispersion field maps for all 56 elements, defined structures and parameters of geochemical fields, identified geochemical indicators and associations;
  • There were four spatially separated anomaly boundaries defined confirming the presence of a single-solid zone of dispersed mineralization including albite and albite-spodumene pegmatitic bodies of linear type;
  • The Supra-upper ore erosion of pegmatitic Kene field was confirmed based on parasteresis of lithium with Cs, Rb, Ta, Sn, Be and the comparison of the geochemical zoning models with a benchmark model of the granitic-pegmatite and tantalum-spodumene type of mineralization at Bernic Lake deposit (Canada).

 

2024-2025 Drilling Program

Phase 1 includes two exploration drillholes:

  • DRK-2 drillhole (150m) drilled in October 2024. All the core samples are tested by ALS (Ireland) in compliance with all the QA/QC standards pending assay results to come out in February 2025.
  • By March 2025 Dalares will drill DRK-3 exploration hole up to 250m deep along strike as guided and validated by geochemical surveys and historical geological data pertaining to the zone with lithium mineralization.

In Phase 2 (2025-2027) Dalares plans to drill 10 exploration drillholes up to 2,500m. All the core samples will be assayed by an international certified assay laboratory.

Additionally, Dalares intends to undertake an extensive geochemical prospecting program 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.

 
Photo: Spodumene vein (1m) in granite. Kene. Central Zone (“Kenebai”)
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Photo: Spodumene vein (1m) in granite. Kene. Central Zone (“Kenebai”)
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Photo: Spodumene vein (1m) in granite. Kene. Central Zone (“Kenebai”)
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Contacts
Point:
10A Daryn Microdistrict , Almaty, Kazakhstan
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