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Kingsland Minerals (ASX: KNG) has announced a significant expansion of lithium soil anomalies at its Lake Johnston project in Western Australia, with a major sampling campaign confirming high-grade surface lithium mineralisation across most of the company's 890 square kilometre tenement package. The Kingsland Minerals Lake Johnston lithium soil anomalies in Western Australia strengthen the case for a nearby hard rock lithium source and have triggered planning for a maiden drilling programme.
The announcement follows an extensive soil geochemistry programme that has identified +200 ppm Li₂O anomalies extending from previous programmes, with multiple sample locations across both northern and southern areas recording results above this high-grade threshold.
The latest programme, combined with earlier sampling completed in 2024, brings the total number of soil samples collected at Lake Johnston to 3,099. Samples were taken on a grid pattern of 200m east-west and either 500m or 1,000m north-south across the project area.
Key findings include:
| Sample | Li (ppm) | Li₂O (ppm) | Location (Northing) |
|---|---|---|---|
| KNG0242 | 137 | 294.9 | 6,465,000 |
| KNG2958 | 120.9 | 260.3 | 6,470,000 |
| KNG2957 | 120.71 | 259.9 | 6,471,000 |
| KNG0101 | 120 | 258.3 | 6,467,500 |
| KNG2118 | 106.1 | 228.4 | 6,447,000 |
| KNG2097 | 105.01 | 226.1 | 6,447,000 |
| KNG2955 | 104.87 | 225.8 | 6,470,000 |
| KNG1671 | 105.92 | 228.0 | 6,433,000 |
The highest single result of 294.9 ppm Li₂O was recorded at sample KNG0242 in the northern portion of the project. Furthermore, these results demonstrate that elevated lithium values occur consistently across broad portions of the project area, rather than as isolated occurrences.
"These are very promising results because they provide more evidence of the potential presence of lithium-bearing lithologies within our Lake Johnston tenement package. Historical drilling targeting nickel has intersected pegmatitic textures and greenstone lithologies in our tenements and we have confirmation of lithium mineralisation in the wider Lake Johnston area with recent successful drilling by other companies following up similar soil anomalism."
— Richard Maddocks, Managing Director, Kingsland Minerals
Surface soil sampling programmes are commonly used in early-stage exploration to identify anomalous zones and prioritise ground for follow-up drilling. The significance of lithium appearing consistently at elevated grades across such a wide area strongly implies an underlying source of lithium-bearing geology.
Historical drilling conducted at Lake Johnston in 2008 by previous explorers targeting nickel intersected pegmatite dykes within the tenements. However, lithium and associated elements were not assayed at the time, meaning the lithium potential of those intersections was never evaluated.
For investors less familiar with exploration methodology, a soil geochemical anomaly refers to areas where chemical concentrations of a target element in surface soils are significantly elevated above regional background levels.
In lithium exploration, soil anomalies are particularly significant for several reasons:
The Lake Johnston programme used the Ultrafine analytical method, which targets the very fine clay fraction of soil samples. This technique is particularly sensitive for detecting lithium anomalies in weathered terrains and is considered appropriate for this style of exploration.
In addition, the results show correlation between lithium anomaly distribution and underlying structural features visible in Total Magnetic Intensity survey data from the Geological Survey of Western Australia. This structural alignment adds confidence that surface anomalies reflect genuine geological contacts at depth.
The Kingsland Minerals Lake Johnston lithium soil anomalies in Western Australia sit within the Southern Cross Province of the Archaean Yilgarn Craton, positioned between the Lake Johnston Greenstone Belt and the Forrestania Greenstone Belt. A major Proterozoic structure known as the Binneringie Dyke runs through the project area, passing in proximity to several established lithium deposits in the region.
| Deposit | Company | Total Resource (Mt) | Grade (Li₂O %) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Earl Grey | Covalent Lithium | 272 | ~1.5 |
| Mt Marion | Mineral Resources | 66.1 | 1.36 |
| Manna | Global Lithium Resources | 51.6 | 1.00 |
| Bald Hill | Mineral Resources | 58.1 | 0.94 |
| Pioneer Dome | Develop Ltd | 11.2 | 1.2 |
| Buldonia | Liontown Ltd | 15.0 | 1.00 |
| Medcalf | Charger Metals | 8.2 | 1.00 |
These are established, JORC-compliant resources demonstrating the mineralised nature of the geological terrain. It is important to note that Kingsland does not currently hold a mineral resource at Lake Johnston; the project remains at early exploration stage.
The results will now inform targeted follow-up programmes. Kingsland's planned next steps include:
The maiden drilling programme represents the next material catalyst for Lake Johnston. Drilling into fresh rock will allow determination of whether surface anomalies source from nearby pegmatite or other lithium-bearing lithologies, and establish grade and thickness of any mineralisation at depth.
Kingsland Minerals maintains a portfolio of energy mineral assets beyond the Lake Johnston project.
The lithium results add a third commodity dimension to this energy minerals portfolio. Key differentiators include:
The company now approaches a potential inflection point. Having completed comprehensive surface geochemical surveying across the majority of its tenement package, the transition to subsurface testing with drilling could materially change the investment case if lithium-bearing pegmatites are intersected.
Key Investment Considerations: Kingsland Minerals has completed one of the most comprehensive lithium soil sampling programmes at Lake Johnston to date, returning widespread high-grade anomalies including results exceeding 260 ppm Li₂O. With a maiden drilling programme being planned across a project located within a proven lithium-producing geological belt, the upcoming transition from surface exploration to testing the source of the Kingsland Minerals Lake Johnston lithium soil anomalies in Western Australia at depth represents a critical development phase for investors to monitor closely.
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