Octava Minerals Ltd. announced that on-ground exploration of mapping and sampling work has commenced at the Talga Lithium Project, located in the highly prospective Pilbara Region of Western Australia. Due to its favourable location and underlying geology, the Talga Project is considered by the Company to be highly prospective for lithium mineralisation. Lithium mineralisation has previously been recorded in pegmatite at the Pinnacle Well Prospect at Talga.

The Talga Project covers an area of 211km2 comprising eight (8) granted Exploration Licences which are centred about 30km north of the Marble Bar town site. The Talga project is considered by the Company to be highly prospective for the discovery of hard rock, LCT type (lithium-caesium-tantalum) pegmatites. The Talga lithium Project lies 10km to the northeast of the Archer Lithium Deposit (10.5Mt @ 1.0% Li2O) held by Global Lithium Resources and occupies a similar geological setting, margining the Mt Edgar Batholith and being proximal to the Mooyella Monzagranite and other late-stage granite intrusions.

These late-stage granite intrusions are considered as the source intrusions to the lithium pegmatite mineralisation in the region. Very limited past exploration has been completed over the Talga project but has outlined an anomalous pegmatite rock chip sample of 0.22% Li2O at the Pinnacle Well lithium prospect in May 2017. A large number of pegmatite targets have been identified with four priority areas identified for field testing.

To fast-track exploration over the large tenement holding, a soil geochemical sampling programme has been completed with a total of 2,000 samples collected. These samples are being screened by pXRF unit, involving a specialised Li-index developed by Portable Spectral Solutions. The pXRF provides a proxy for Li content via correlation with suite of elements that are resolvable by pXRF and calibrated against certified reference materials.

Samples will then be submitted for laboratory analysis. Field geological mapping by specialist mapper John Crossing has been completed over the entire project area and it is anticipated this new mapping information, combined with geochemical data and field reconnaissance information will expedite work programs to identify drill targets. The Company has identified a number of additional potential pegmatite targets at Talga through the use of remote sensing features.

Initial field work will focus on the Pinnacle Well Prospect area and additional priority targets, with field mapping and sampling to better understand size, distribution and mineralogy of the pegmatites. This will enable determination of priority areas for drilling and to expedite work programs and the approvals process.