Projects
Product
Lithium
Mineral
lepidolite pegmatite
Ownership
100%
Reung Kiet is the only lithium project in South and South-East Asia with a JORC Mineral Resource and undergoing feasibility studies.
The Reung Kiet Lithium Project (Reung Kiet) is a lepidolite style lithium project located about 70km north-east of Phuket in the Phang Nga Province in southern Thailand. Pan Asia holds a 100% interest in 3 contiguous Special Prospecting Licenses (SPL) and 1 Exclusive Prospecting License (EPL) covering about 40km².
The Reung Kiet project area was part of a major tin mining region up until the mid-1980s. Up to the late 1980’s southern Thailand was a globally significant tin producer. In the Phang Nga Province from 1965 to 1990 recorded tin concentrate production was approximately 300,000 tonnes. Much of the tin production was derived from alluvial or offshore sources, however, there were some primary deposits being mined.
In the late 1960’s a joint Thai/British Geological Survey study was undertaken in the region (Garson et al, 1969). I was during this study that the lithium bearing mineral lepidolite was identified in weathered pegmatites that were being mined for tin at the Reung Kiet and Bang I Tum open pit mines as well as at other mines in close proximity. The 1960’s study conducted geological mapping, geochemical analysis and mineralogical descriptions of various tailings, concentrate and rock samples as well as lepidolite beneficiation studies. The lepidolite was found to contain 3-4% Li2O. With significant focus on two key tin mines, Reung Kiet and Bang I Tum, the survey stated:
“the pegmatites at Reung Kiet and Bang I Tum may well be the largest un-zoned lepidolite pegmatites yet recorded”; and
“lepidolite is fairly evenly distributed both along the length of the pegmatite and from wall to wall. In places there is local enrichment of massive lepidolite”
There is little recorded exploration activity in the project area since the 1960’s study.
The Reung Kiet project comprises two key prospects, the Reung Kiet Lithium Prospect and the Bang I Tum Lithium Prospect:
The Reung Kiet Lithium Prospect (RK)
A relatively large open cut tin mine. The old pit is about 500m long and up to 125m wide. Mining of the weathered pegmatites extended up to 30m below surface, to the top of hard rock. Pan Asia Metals has identified a prospective zone at least 1km long, reporting an Inferred Mineral Resource estimate of 10.4 million tonnes at 0.44% Li2O. Please refer to Pan Asia Metals ASX announcement, “Inaugural Mineral Resource Estimate Reung Kiet Lithium” dated June 28, 2022.
The Mineral Resource is based upon the first 46 holes drilled at Reung Kiet. Ongoing drilling has seen the completion of more than 55 additional holes (as at January 2023), most of which will be included in the Mineral Resource update which aims to increase the Mineral Resource tonnage and upgrade portions of the Mineral Resource from Inferred to Indicated and possibly Measured classification. The pegmatite swarms remain open to the north and south and at depth on many sections.
The Bang I Tum Lithium Prospect (BIT)
The Bang I Tum prospect was a relatively large open cut tin mine. The old pit is about 650m long and up to 125m wide. Mining of the weathered pegmatites extended to about 30m beloW surface, to top of hard rock. The mined pegmatite is recorded to be up to 25m wide (Garson, 1969).
The pit is now water filled, with water depths to a maximum 15m. Additional smaller scale mining extended further along strike to the southwest. Soil and rock-chip sampling has defined the Main trend and an Eastern trend.
The prospective Main trend is about 1.5km long. A lepidolite pegmatite dyke swarm can be observed on a hill about 400m south of the pit. This swarm is up to 100m wide with individual dykes up to 7m wide. The Eastern trend is about 1.5km long, located approximately 350m east of, and parallel to the Main trend.
Recent rock chip and channel sampling has yielded 44 of 64 samples with an average grade of 1.56% Li2O plus accessory tin and tantalum. 35 of these samples returning Li2O grades of >1.00% Li2O and averaging 1.80% Li2O. 12 of these samples were greater than 2.00% Li2O and the highest grade was 2.62% Li2O.
