WhiteRock Lithium discovers large area of spodumene rich pegmatites grading up to 6.43 per cent Li2O at its 100 per cent owned Sacred Banana property in the James Bay Region, Quebec

Highlights

• Lithium grades up to 6.43% LiO, 13 samples averaged 3.01% LiO; 

• Spodumene-rich pegmatite outcrops have been traced over a strike length of plus two kilometres and remain open in all directions 

• Virgin discovery of megacrystic spodumene bearing pegmatites 

  • Individual spodumene crystals locally exceed four metres in length and plus 0.6 metres in width at key occurrence - "Spodumene Mountain" 

• A boulder train of hundreds of spodumene rich boulders has been identified and the source rock has been located 

• Second program consisted of mapping and channel sampling  

  • Three channel samples totalling 66 metres were completed on a portion of Spodumene Mountain.  Samples have been sent for assaying with  results expected in late-2023; 

• 100% owned – 67,000 hectares, 1,360 claims;  

• Located 30 kilometres from all weather road 

Vancouver, British Columbia - TheNewswire - November 2, 2023 - WhiteRock Lithium Corp. ("WhiteRock" or the "Company") is extremely pleased to announce that it has discovered a virgin field of spodumene-rich pegmatites on its 100% owned "Sacred Banana" Property ("Sacred Banana" or the "Property") located in the James Bay region of Quebec. Sacred Banana and the adjoining Yoshi property, also 100% owned by WhiteRock, consist of 1,360 claims covering approximately 67,000 hectares of highly prospective ground (Figure 1). It is important to note that the property is less than 30 kilometres from the all weather Laforge-Deux road.

 

WhiteRock staked Sacred Banana in 2022 and initiated a Phase 1 reconnaissance mapping and sampling program in August of 2023. The discovery of the large area of spodumene bearing pegmatites was made during the initial phase of work when the Company took 11 grab samples, mostly from Spodumene Mountain.  Spodumene Mountain (see photo 1) measures approximately 600 x 200 metres and has relief of about 50 metres.  The Spodumene Mountain outcrop is open in all directions.  Spodumene Mountain is characterized by approximately 40-50% large spodumene crystals up to four metres in length, as well as lepidolite and rubellite. The megacrystic (very coarse grained) nature of Spodumene Mountain is significant as it indicates a late pegmatite which has provided a conducive environment for high grade lithium.

 

Photo 1

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Spodumene Mountain – outcrop measures 600 x 200 metres and has relief of 50 metres. The outcrop is open in all directions.

 

During the Phase 1 program the Company discovered several spodumene bearing outcrops over two kilometres along strike as well as numerous spodumene bearing pegmatite boulders. A Phase 2 program commenced in early October and consisted of additional property mapping and sampling, a reconnaissance magnetometer ("MAG") survey and channel sampling at a portion of Spodumene Mountain. Three channel samples were completed for a total of 66 metres. Continuous one metre samples were taken and all samples have been sent to the lab for assaying with results expected in December 2023.  The Property is interpreted by Gosselin and Simard (2001) to be underlain by volcanic flows and pyroclastics and mafic - ultramafic intrusives of the Gayot Complex. The sequence also comprises horizons of sedimentary rock and oxide facies iron formation. The Company's work indicates the pegmatites may occupy the area of weakness formed in the volcano-sedimentary stratigraphy in the course of folding. The pegmatite field is interpreted to strike northeast-southwest. Further mapping and the results of the MAG survey will assist in the identification of the pegmatite boundaries.

Dustin Nanos, President of WhiteRock comments: "The discovery of such a large area of high-grade lithium bearing pegmatites in a brand-new area of the James Bay region is very significant.  The Company is extremely pleased that it appears that much of Spodumene Mountain has mineralogies that reflect what was taken in the select grab samples."

Once the Company receives the assays and the results of the reconnaissance MAG survey from the Phase 2 exploration program the Company will plan its next exploration programs which is anticipated to include an airborne MAG survey of the entire property and diamond drilling.

Table 1 provides the assays from the grab samples from Spodumene Mountain that were taken in the course of the Phase 1 programTable 1 – Spodumene Mountain grab sample analyses – Phase 1

Sample #	Li2O (%)	Be (ppm)	Ta (ppm)
G182267	1.40%	230	74.1
G182268	6.43%	27.4	6.95
G182269	3.60%	71.4	23.7
G182270	3.21%	69.8	27.7
G182271	2.12%	46.5	27.7
G182272	2.03%	199	69.7
G182273	3.26%	63	106.5
G182275	6.40%	7.1	27.9
G182356	0.02%	8.3	8.98
G182357	3.77%	490	27.7
G182358	0.86%	230	57.9

Figure 1 – Sacred Banana and Yoshi claim blocks

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The Photos below provide a sense of the style of physiography and geology that was discovered at Spodumene Mountain.

Photo 2

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Four-metre long spodumene crystal at Spodumene Mountain

 

Photo 3

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Channel sampling at Spodumene Mountain. A total of 66 1-metre-long samples were taken from the three channels in the Phase 2 exploration program

 

Photo 4

 

Megacrystic spodumene and rubellite (gem version of tourmaline) at Rubellite Hill (part of Spodumene Mountain), October 2023

Qualified Person

The scientific and technical information contained in this press release in regards to Quebec has been reviewed and approved by George M. Yordanov M.Sc. He is a Professional Geologist registered in Quebec (OGQ). The exploration at Sacred Banana is being carried out by Groupe Magnor Exploration Inc. ("Magnor") of Saguenay, Quebec. Magnor is owned and managed by Frederic Bergeron and is a full service exploration consulting firm.

 

About WhiteRock Lithium

WhiteRock Lithium is a privately held critical minerals exploration and development company based out of Calgary, Alberta. The Company is focused on exploration for lithium in Canada and on rapidly advancing its flagship Sacred Banana lithium project. The Company currently holds over 100,000 hectares of highly prospective lithium exploration claims in Quebec.

 

Website: https://whiterocklithium.com

 

WhiteRock Lithium Corp
1612 17th Ave SW
Calgary, Alberta
T2T 0E3

 

Information/Contact
Dustin Nanos, President & CEO
dustin@whiterocklithium.com
1-587-577-9878

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