The Mt Francisco JV between Pilbara Minerals (70%) and Atlas Iron Limited (30%) is located 50km south-west of the Pilgangoora Project and hosts the last remaining large occurrence of outcropping pegmatites located nearby to Port Hedland.
An inaugural exploration program, which included detailed geological mapping, surface geochemistry and reconnaissance RC drilling, was completed at Mt Francisco during 2018. Drill holes intersected multiple pegmatites ranging in thickness up to 30m, some of which have returned elevated levels of tin, tantalum and lithium. Mineralogical logging of drill cuttings has identified lithium bearing minerals zinnwaldite and lepidolite.
Drilling to date has only tested a relatively small portion of the Mt Francisco project area, with numerous geological and surface geochemical targets remaining untested.