Ardiden Ltd.: Pegmatite Structures Exposed Over 5km Strike Length

Perth - Lithium and graphite explorer Ardiden Ltd. (ASX:ADV) is pleased to advise that it has significantly increased the project footprint and the exploration potential of its Seymour Lake Lithium Project in Ontario, Canada, following the discovery of numerous new pegmatite exposures during the current mapping and sampling campaign.


HIGHLIGHTS

- Field program continues to identify more surface exposures of multiple pegmatite structures with visible spodumene (lithium-bearing mineral) crystals.

- Pegmatites exposures now identified over a 5km strike length, with multiple exposures confirming the pegmatite swarm at or near surface.

- Pegmatite structures remain open at depth and along strike.

- Pegmatite development phases successfully classified.

- Assay results from limited channel and grab sampling confirm high-grade spodumene potential across the known prospects, with grades up to 4.54% Li2O returned.

- Confirmatory excavations underway at North Aubry and Pye to expose pegmatite extensions in areas of alluvium cover.

- Mega Tantalite crystal zones identified at North Aubry and Pye pegmatites.

- Planning is now underway for upcoming drilling program.

- New claims approved by MDNM which host multiple new pegmatite exposures.

- Additional claims staked over new pegmatite exposures and potential mineralisation extensions.

Mapping and sampling programs currently underway have been successful in confirming historical data and have also now dramatically expanded the potential strike length of previously drilled pegmatites up to 5km, further enhancing the previously delineated new pegmatite structures - all of which are located at or near surface.

These results provide the Company several exciting new targets for priority follow-up and potential future resource definition, which the Company is now actively planning and preparing for.

Ardiden's geological team has continued to identify and map additional pegmatite structures around the North Aubry, South Aubry and Pye prospects. The structural mapping program has confirmed the presence of significant spodumene mineralisation throughout the pegmatite swarm, which will be quantified during the drilling phase of the current exploration campaign.


ADDITIONAL PEGMATITES

As previously announced, the primary objective of the program is to develop a better geological understanding of the mineralisation, orientation and structural controls of the mineralisation at the North Aubry, South Aubry and Pye prospects.

The information on the structural controls and morphology of the mineralisation at these prospects should assist the Company's geological team to locate and identify sufficient mineralisation to underpin resource delineation drilling programs, which are aimed at defining a lithium resource in accordance with JORC (2012) guidelines.

This structural knowledge has assisted the Company to identify potential extensions of known mineralised zones and delineated even more surface exposures of multiple pegmatite structures with visible spodumene (lithium-bearing mineral) crystals. To date, the geological team has now identified total of 43 additional pegmatite exposures of various sizes at the Seymour Lake project (Figure 1, see link below).

The additional pegmatite structures have confirmed some of the historical rock chips and soil sample anomalies, assisting the geological team to better interpret the mineralisation zones and structures.

Based on these preliminary results, it appears that the dominant mineralised trend appears to be striking Northeast Southwest at the Seymour Lake project, with some East-West trending mineralisation, secondary to the primary orientation (Figure 1).

This initial interpretation will be further tested as more detailed exploration is completed. At this stage, all of the identified pegmatite structures remain open at depth and along strike, showing that some of these structures are at or near surface, with pegmatite exposures now identified 5km along strike to the South of the North Aubry prospect (Figure 6, see link below) and again significantly expanding the known lithium mineralisation zones in all directions.

The exploration program has also assisted Ardiden to classify the pegmatites by mineralisation zone and development phase which has helped the Company to delineate the target locations which are likely to host the spodumene mineralisation and further develop its geological model.

The successful identification of multiple pegmatite exposures over extended distances at and close to surface has again reaffirmed the great potential of the Seymour Lake project to host a significant lithium resource.


EXCAVATION OF PEGMATITE STRUCTURES

Based on the early exploration success and initial interpretations by the Ardiden geological team, combined with the continued identification of the multiple pegmatite exposures across the project, the team has now begun a confirmatory excavation program, with the aim of exposing the pegmatite mineralisation extensions in areas of shallow alluvium cover and provide further definition for resource drilling.

The initial focus of this work is around the pegmatite extensions of North Aubry, South Aubry and Pye prospects where strong lithium mineralisation occurs. The program has already successfully uncovered a number of new and extended lithium mineralisation zones, including the identification of more high quality white spodumene crystals, as shown in Figure 4 (see link below).

The geological team is cleaning the new pegmatite exposures in order to complete mapping, structural interpretation and classification of various mineralisation zones contained within the structures.

The identification of these new lithium mineralisation zones and extensions has the potential to dramatically increase the size and scope of future resource definition programs, which the Company is now actively planning and preparing for.


ASSAY RESULTS

During this mapping and exploration program a limited number of channel and grab samples were taken to test and verify the quality of the historical data previously obtained from both the North Aubry and Pye prospects. These samples are also being used to confirm the quality of the lithium mineralisation identified during the mapping phase of this program.

The assay results from 56 channel samples have confirmed the of presence several broad zones of spodumene-lithium mineralisation, up to 7m wide with an average grade of 1.57% Lithium Oxide (Li2O) from Channel NA-CH-16-04. Also of note is the 5m wide lithium mineralised zone in Channel NA-CH-16-06 which averages 1.97% Li2O.

All channel samples from the program showed various grades of lithium, including an exceptional grade of 4.13% Li2O being identified at the North Aubry prospect in Channel NA-CH-16-08.

The logging of the channel samples again confirmed the strong presence of spodumene. In addition, the assay results confirmed the original visual logging of the channel samples, with 57% (32 samples) of all channel samples returning assay results greater than 0.7% Li2O and 43% (24 samples) of channel samples with grades above 1.5% Li2O.

Table 1 (see link below) highlights the various intervals of significant lithium mineralisation obtained from 11 different channels completed at the North Aubry prospect. A total of 13 channels of various lengths were completed at the North Aubry prospect and not all assays results from the channel samples have been reported in this announcement.

Ardiden also notes that several grab samples were collected from the Pye prospect during the mapping program and encouraging lithium results were also obtained from this location, including grades up to 4.54% Li2O (East: 398450, North: 5584835) being identified.


TANTALUM POTENTIAL

During the exploration program the Ardiden geological team has identified a number of localized manganotantalite crystal zones at both the North Aubry and Pye prospects.

Initial review and assessment of the mineralisation shows what appears to be high grade manganotantalite crystals up to 5cm in width. These rare formations of manganotantalite mega- crystals are an encouraging sign of the potential for Tantalum within the pegmatite structures at both North Aubry and Pye prospects.

Historically, exploration at the North Aubry prospect was focused on the Tantalum potential contained within the pegmatite structures, as seen in the 2006 Dimmell and Morgan report* where a 4m channel returned an average grade of 2.49% tantalum pentoxide (Ta2O5)

Subject to further exploration and testing, the presence of tantalum mineralization has the potential to have a positive economic impact on any future resource delineated at the Seymour Lake Project.


DRILLING PROGRAM

In light of the early exploration success by the geological team, combined with the continued identification of the multiple pegmatite exposures across the project and confirmation that the lithium mineralization has been extended by the excavations, Ardiden's geological team has commenced planning and preparations for a resource definition drilling program.

A number of drill-ready targets have already been identified at the prospects which will be tested as soon as the current phase of work has been completed.


ADDITIONAL CLAIMS

As previously announced on 22 August 2016, Ardiden has applied for (staked) a further six claim areas (totally 1,104 Ha) around the Seymour Lake Project which host multiple new pegmatite exposures. Ardiden is pleased to confirm these new claims have now been approved by the by the Ontario Ministry of Northern Development and Mines ("MNDM").

Due to the continued identification of the multiple pegmatite exposures throughout Seymour Lake project, Ardiden has again expanded the land-holding South and East in the project to cover these newly identified pegmatite structures and potential mineralisation extensions.

As previously advised the pegmatite exposures have now been extended over 5km in strike length to the South. The new claims will allow the Ardiden geological team to continue the mapping and exploration program.

The new claims to the East side of the project were not only staked for the pegmatite potential but given the number of faults, dykes and shear zones along the granite formation there is also a possibility of identification of base metals in the region. Historically, copper mineralisation was identified within the southern portion of the new claim areas.

The additional 17 claims have again more than doubled the Company's land-holding at Seymour Lake and based on the identification of the additional pegmatites and the potential extensions of the mineralisation zones, this will allow Ardiden to substantially expand project footprint (Figure 6).

Ardiden looks forward to providing further updates and results from the current program as they come to hand.

To view tables and figures, please visit:
http://abnnewswire.net/lnk/DX289OTJ


About Ardiden Ltd:

Ardiden Ltd. (ASX:ADV) is an Australian mineral exploration company seeking to generate shareholder wealth by identifying, acquiring and developing mineral projects in any jurisdiction that possess the potential for cashflow and growth.



Contact:

Ardiden Ltd.
E: info@ardiden.com.au
www.ardiden.com.au

Brad Boyle
Ardiden Ltd.
Tel: +61-8-6555-2950

Nicholas Read - Read Mobile: +61-419-929-046