The Uis Lithium Project (EPL 7345 and EPL 8535) is located in Namibia, Africa covering an area of 308.12 km2 located less than 5km from the township of Uis and less than 2.5km from the operating Uis Mine owned and operated by AfriTin Mining plc (LSE. ATM), within the Erongo Region of west-central Namibia. The Namibian capital city of Windhoek is located approximately 270km southeast of the Uis Lithium Project. The deep water port of Walvis Bay is located less than 230km from the Uis Lithium Project and is accessible by sealed roads all year round.
The Uis Lithium Project boasts more than 120 mapped pegmatites across the project area, with many of the pegmatites having been mined historically for tin and semi-precious stone. An abundance of altered spodumene is visible both within the workings and the mined rock around the workings.
High-grade lithium up to 3.2% Li2O has been sampled on surface as well as high-grade tin up to 3.2% Sn, high-grade tantalum up to 663ppm Ta and high-grade rubidium up to 3,387ppm Rb.
The Uis Lithium Project represents a significantly under-explored lithium opportunity in a first-ranked jurisdiction in close proximity to key mining infrastructure and services.
The image below illustrates the operations of the currently operating Uis Mine owned by AfriTin Mining plc (LSE. ATM) which is located less than 2.5km from the Uis Lithium Project owned by Askari Metals Limited.
EPL 7345
In July 2022, LexRox Exploration Services (Pty) Ltd (LexRox) conducted a discrete sampling and mapping campaign, visiting a limited number of pegmatites that were identified on EPL 7345 and which were located closest to the Uis Mine operated by AfriTin Mining plc (LSE. ATM). A total of 97 rock samples were collected and were analysed for several elements including Lithium (Li), Caesium (Cs), Tin (Sn), Rubidium (Rb), Niobium (Nb) and Tantalum (Ta).
The table below outlines the significant lithium assay results (>0.30% Li2O) from the July 2022 sampling campaign conducted by LexRox.
| Sample No. | Easting | Northing | Li (ppm) | Li2O (%) |
| Y0483 | 483367.20 | 7649729.42 | 14169 | 3.051 |
| Y0434 | 484273.78 | 7649302.66 | 5223 | 1.124 |
| Y0453 | 484910.96 | 7649358.05 | 2428 | 0.523 |
| Y0443 | 484771.49 | 7648722.41 | 2418 | 0.521 |
| Y0407 | 484531.20 | 7648739.23 | 2239 | 0.482 |
| Y0429 | 484336.06 | 7649598.01 | 2188 | 0.471 |
| Y0451 | 484881.38 | 7649255.53 | 1985 | 0.427 |
| Y0414 | 484600.60 | 7649509.38 | 1942 | 0.418 |
| K2227 | 484575.79 | 7648761.41 | 1893.34 | 0.408 |
| Y0481 | 483366.68 | 7649731.63 | 1772 | 0.382 |
| Y0484 | 483289.11 | 7649588.01 | 1746 | 0.376 |
| Y0454 | 484938.49 | 7649424.92 | 1396 | 0.301 |
In September 2022, the Company commissioned a geologist and technical team to conduct a reconnaissance sampling campaign as part of the due diligence process for EPL 7345. One hundred and ninety-six (196) surface rock samples were collected from exposed pegmatites and old workings in pegmatites on EPL 7345. The pegmatites are hosted by mafic schists and metasediments and occur as post-depositional intrusions. Several hand specimens were collected with visible spodumene, lepidolite and cassiterite.
The image below identifies one of the pegmatite outcrops on EPL 7345. Note the continuation of the pegmatite in the distance.
The overall outcome of the due diligence sampling campaign is extremely positive, with 52% of the samples indicating fertile LCT (Lithium-Caesium-Tantalum) pegmatites with results above 234 ppm Li, 47 ppm Cs and 20 ppm Ta. The maximum assay results for lithium oxide, tin and tantalum are 2.1% Li2O, 1.3% Tin (Sn) and 658 ppm Tantalum (Ta), respectively. In addition to the LCT pegmatite mineral results, the results also indicate very strong rubidium results with a maximum of 4,214 ppm Rb and an average rubidium grade of 971 ppm Rb.
The results from EPL 7345 are very encouraging and reached a maximum of 2.1% Li2O, with 12 samples returning results greater than 0.5% Li2O and 44 samples above 0.1% Li2O. The high percentage of samples with high lithium results in the oxide zone, correlates well with the visual lithium mineralisation identified in the field and bode well as an indicator for the lithium mineralisation potential below the surface on EPL 7345.
The table below tabulates the top ten lithium sample results received from the DD reconnaissance program on EPL 7345 and the figure outlines the distribution of the lithium results at EPL 7345. Of note is the large number of samples with results greater than 0.1% Li2O.
EPL 8535
During late October 2022, a discrete sampling and mapping campaign was completed at EPL 8535 to build on the earlier success of the reconnaissance exploration at EPL 7345. The Company collected a total of seven (7) samples and visited a limited number of pegmatites and historic tin and semi-precious stone mine workings that were identified at EPL 8535. The pegmatites visited were identified as being high priority based on their location which were within the same strike direction as those pegmatites identified at EPL 7345 (part of the Uis Lithium Project) and those that are currently being drilled and mined at the nearby Uis Mine which is owned and operated by AfriTin Mining plc (LSE. ATM).
Each of the seven (7) rock samples were analysed for several elements including Lithium (Li), Caesium (Cs), Tin (Sn), Rubidium (Rb), Niobium (Nb) and Tantalum (Ta). The rock samples collected during the initial high-level technical review have demonstrated the mineralised fertility of the LCT-type pegmatites across EPL 8535 and furthermore provided the Company with significant confidence of the exploration upside that remains untested at EPL 8535.
Each of the rock samples collected were taken from old mine workings across EPL 8535 and have been followed up by the Company during its due diligence field mapping and sampling campaign.
The table below outlines the assay results from the initial technical review and discrete sampling and mapping campaign conducted by the Company.
| Sample No. | Easting | Northing | Li (ppm) | Li2O (%) | Sn (ppm) | Ta (ppm) | Rb (ppm) |
| U4797 | 480813 | 7635657 | 8,340 | 1.8 | 184 | 62.1 | 155.5 |
| U4798 | 480813 | 7635657 | 4,760 | 1.0 | 295 | 38.8 | 212 |
| U4799 | 480813 | 7635657 | 2,320 | 0.5 | 4,990 | 78.4 | 108 |
| U4677 | 472294 | 7639661 | 2,300 | 0.5 | 440 | 163.5 | 1,525 |
| U4678 | 472294 | 7639661 | 1,660 | 0.4 | 399 | 19.1 | 1,155 |
| U4679 | 472224 | 7639542 | 3,040 | 0.7 | 1,245 | 111.5 | 836 |
| B2563 | 472666 | 7639745 | 14,800 | 3.2 | 474 | 663 | 1,640 |
The map below outlines the location of the samples that were collected during the October 2022 high-level technical assessment of EPL 8535 completed by the Company as well as the high-grade assay results collected from EPL 7345 which were collected both by the Company in September / October 2022 and LexRox in July 2022.
EPL 7345: Phase I RC Drilling Campaign
Surface exploration activities conducted by the Company at the Uis Lithium Project identified extensive areas of high-grade lithium mineralisation in pegmatite dykes near the Uis Mine owned and operated by AfriTin Mining plc (LSE. ATM) and extending parallel to the mineralisation trend for several kilometres. This prospect area is known as the Uis Mine View prospect. The results of samples collected from the Uis Mine View prospect returned results including 3.1% Li
Refer to ASX Announcement dated 16 November 2022 and titled “High-Grade Spodumene Hosted Lithium Identified in Extensive Pegmatites at the Uis Lithium Project, Namibia”.
The Uis Mine View prospect was the main target of the drilling campaign with the majority of the meters drilled there. The campaign also tested two other targets. The second target is located near the centre of the tenement with rock sample results from this target area including 1.1% Li
The figures below illustrate the drill rig in operation at the Uis Lithium Project.
An outline of the Phase I RC drilling campaign is shown in the figure below.
A total of 59 drill holes were drilled by the Company for approximately 3,017m. Visible lithium mineralisation was intersected in the pegmatites at the Uis Lithium Project as well as visible tantalum and tin mineralisation.
Geology and Mineralisation
The rocks of the Erongo Region, and specifically the Dâures Constituency, are represented by rocks of the Khomas Subgroup, a division of the Swakop Group of the Damara Sequence which have been intruded by numerous zones and unzoned mineralised pegmatites rich in cassiterite, lepidolite, petalite, amblygonite, spodumene, tantalite, columbite, beryl, gem tourmaline, and rare to sparse sulphides, wolframite, scheelite, pollucite or rare earths.
The Uis and Nainais-Kohero swarm of pegmatites represent the fillings of en-echelon tension fractures that formed as a result of regional shearing . These pegmatites can be described as being pervasively altered or extensively albitised with only relics of the original potassium feldspars left after their widespread replacement by albite. They are remarkably similar in composition, except for the varying intensity of pneumatolytic effects and the introduction or concentration of trace elements during the final stages of crystallisation has resulted in complex pegmatite mineralogies. These pegmatites are found within schistose and quartzose rocks of the Khomas Subgroup, a division of the Swakop Group, which have been subjected to intense tectonic deformation and regional metamorphism.
The map below outlines the geology of EPL 8535 together with the location of EPL 7345 as well as the B1/C1 mining licence and the Uis Mine both owned and operated by AfriTin Mining plc (LSE. ATM). The proximity of the Uis Lithium Project (EPL 7345 and EPL 8535) relative to the mining licences held by AfriTin including the open pit, the ore dumps and the infrastructure associated with the mine is clearly visible and highlights that the Uis Lithium Project (EPL 7345 and EPL 8535) acquired by Askari Metals hosts the same pegmatite geology and mineralisation.
Detailed geological mapping within the Uis area suggests that the Uis swarm of pegmatites consists of over 80 individual pegmatite bodies. Shearing resulted in spaces being opened within the Khomas Subgroup which were subsequently intruded by pegmatite or quartz veins. Within the Nainais pegmatites high tin values are found in smaller altered mica-rich pegmatites near the pegmatite edges. The pegmatite mineralisation composition changes with distance from the granitic contacts with a mineral crystallisation sequence, which indicates garnet and schorl occurring closest to the granitic contacts, cassiterite and lithium-tourmaline occurring further away therefrom, and the tantalite being associated with lithium-tourmaline and quartz blows.