Kali Metals Shifts Focus to Gold as Marble Bar Anomaly Nearly Doubles

Significant Expansion of Gold Anomaly

Kali Metals Limited (ASX: KM1) has announced a substantial increase in the gold-in-soil anomaly at its 100%-owned Marble Bar Gold-Lithium Project in Western Australia. The cumulative strike length of the gold anomaly has grown by over 80%, extending from an initial 5.1 kilometres to 9.5 kilometres following the assay of 619 historical soil samples that had not previously been tested for gold. This extension reveals a much larger target area for potential gold mineralisation than previously understood.

Field Mapping and Prospect Highlights

Despite the anomaly now spanning 9.5 km, only about 1 km of this gold-in-soil trend has been mapped on the ground to date. Reconnaissance work has identified two key prospects within this trend: Tiger and Sherman. Both prospects feature gold-bearing quartz veins exposed at surface, with veins measuring up to 7 metres wide and 120 metres long, and surface rock chip assays returning grades up to 4.0 grams per tonne (g/t) gold. These findings align well with the orientation of the soil anomaly, lending confidence to the geochemical results.

Lithium Exploration Continues at Panther Prospect

While gold exploration takes precedence, Kali Metals continues to assess lithium potential at the Panther Prospect within the Marble Bar Project. Channel sampling across pegmatite outcrops returned encouraging lithium oxide (Li2O) grades averaging 0.14% over 31 metres and 0.48% over 9 metres. These results suggest the presence of lithium mineralisation worthy of further investigation, particularly towards the south-east and at depth where thicker pegmatite bodies may exist.

Strategic Shift and Next Steps

Managing Director Paul Adams emphasised the significance of the expanded gold anomaly and the strategic pivot towards gold exploration. With the Christmas break concluded, fieldwork is set to resume in the first quarter of 2025, focusing on ground-truthing the entire soil anomaly to refine and define drill targets. This marks a clear shift in Kali’s exploration priorities, although lithium remains an important secondary focus given the project's dual commodity potential.

Regional Context and Ownership

The Marble Bar Project is situated approximately 30 kilometres east of the historic gold mining centre of Marble Bar in the Pilbara region. Kali Metals retains 100% ownership of this project following the renegotiation of its joint venture with SQM Australia, which now focuses on other tenements. The project covers 42 square kilometres and features geology favourable for both orogenic gold and lithium-bearing LCT pegmatites, positioning Kali well within a prolific mineral province.

Outlook

The expanded gold anomaly and promising lithium results underscore the potential for significant discoveries at Marble Bar. Kali Metals’ upcoming field programs and planned drilling campaigns will be critical in testing these targets and advancing the project towards resource definition. Investors will be watching closely as the company transitions from reconnaissance to more detailed exploration activities.