UK-based mining exploration company First Africa Metals has announced that rock chip sampling has confirmed the presence of exceptionally high-grade lithium-bearing pegmatites at its Misika project in Zambia’s Southern Province.
Independent laboratory analysis and X-ray diffraction (XRD) data indicate that outcropping pegmatites from existing shallow artisanal open pits contain spodumene, montebrasite, pollucite, and lepidolite.
The highest-grade lithium-bearing samples, with over 7% lithium oxide, are primarily composed of montebrasite, a lithium ore known for its low impurity levels.
Currently, the Misika pegmatite zone is approximately 1 km wide with a strike length of just over 2 km, remaining open in all directions, as indicated by advanced spaceborne thermal emission and reflection radiometer (ASTER) and Sentinel-2 remote sensing data.
The lithium mineralization is associated with highly fractionated pegmatites, which typically exhibit higher concentrations of lithium-bearing minerals. This is supported by low potassium-rubidium ratios, which reach as low as 2.4, with an average of 11.75 for corresponding lithium oxide grades down to 1%.
A recent ASTER survey has identified 132 pegmatite targets at the Misika project, all currently under investigation.
“The results from our projects are highly encouraging for both lithium and tin exploration. The exceptionally high-grade lithium findings indicate not only the presence of spodumene but also montebrasite—an ore known for its low impurity levels and higher market price than spodumene. This combination of high-value ores positions us favorably in the current lithium market,” stated Mark Potter, Director of First Africa Metals.
“We are strategically located in the fertile Choma Belt, renowned for hosting lithium and tin deposits within some of the most highly fractionated pegmatites, which may reveal additional valuable mineral deposits as exploration progresses. We are excited to explore further potential for discovery and expansion in the region and will keep the market updated on our progress,” he added.
