The Chaloneau Project is wholly owned by Austroid Resources Canada and is located within the Assinica Fauna Reserve approximately 100km north of the town of Chibougamau (133km by road) and 590km north of Montreal in the Eeyou-Istchee James Bay region of northern Quebec (Figure 1). The project abuts Sayona Mining’s Moblan lithium project.
The projects tenement package covers approximately 56km2 and comprises of 177 claims. The project is accessible by the Northern Gravel Road and can be found on the NTS sheet 32J10 and 32J15.
The project is located in a mining friendly jurisdiction, and in a proven lithium mining province in the Eeyou-Istchee James Bay region. The region hosts proven lithium resources including Nemaska Lithium’s Whabouchi project, Allkem’s James Bay and Sayona’s Moblan project.
The Chaloneau Project is located in the westernSuperior Province and lies within the eastern part of the Opatica Subprovince in the eastern segment of the Frotet-Evans greenstone belt. The project area consists of a large gabbro sill encased by basalts, with interbedded units of felsics volcanoclastic rocks (Figure 2). Multiple pegmatites have been identified cutting across different geological units but are mainly found within the regional gabbro sill.
There has been relatively little lithium exploration conducted in the region, apart from at the Moblan lithium deposit, around which the Chaloneau Project is located. The area has been historically explored for gold and base metals.
SGS Geological Services were engaged in the summer of 2022 to commence Austroid Resources Canada’s exploration effort. A preliminary desktop study identified nine targets. During the 2022 summer field season SGS Geological Services inspected and mapped four of these prospects. Rock chip sampling from the campaign produced results from five of the samples (all from one of the targets) with lithium grades ranging from 0.49% to 5.34% Li2O. Reconnaissance drilling programs were planned over 2 of the targets, including the target with the good rock chip results, and was completed in early 2023.
Pegmatites were successfully intersected at both targets. Anomalous lithium results were received from one of the targets. However, that target that had produced the good rock chip results successfully intersected pegmatites with visible spodumene in a couple of drill holes (Figure 3 & 4).These results include:
