North Arrow Minerals Inc. July 17 announced it has staked yet another possible hardrock lithium-bearing spodumene pegmatite discovery in the MacKay Lake area of the Northwest Territories, roughly six kilometers (four miles) from its Lac de Gras diamond and now possible lithium project.

Immediately adjacent to the winter road connecting Yellowknife with the Lac de Gras (LDG) diamond mines, the MacKay pegmatites were identified and staked by North Arrow in an area, much like its recent announcement regarding its LDG spodumene pegmatites trail, left by Geological Survey of Canada mappers in the 1940s.

In MacKay's case, the Geological Survey of Canada noted tantalite mineralization within tourmaline-muscovite pegmatites, but similar to LDG's lithium potential, has sat unexplored for nearly a century.

"The discovery of spodumene pegmatites at MacKay Lake further advances North Arrow's lithium exploration strategy, taking advantage of our northern exploration experience to identify and acquire hard rock lithium properties in the NWT and Nunavut," said North Arrow President and CEO Ken Armstrong. "These new pegmatites are located just southeast of North Arrow's LDG property, where North Arrow is currently evaluating similar spodumene pegmatites identified and mapped in the 1940s and 1950s."

North Arrow Minerals Inc.; Nick Thomas

Outcrop of possible lithium-bearing spodumene pegmatite at the MacKay project.

With a nearby exploration camp and drilling permit in place at LDG, North Arrow is well-positioned to support further evaluation of the MacKay spodumene pegmatites. Initial grab and prospecting samples from the pegmatites have already been submitted for analysis, and results will be reported when received.

"Additional mapping and sampling of MacKay spodumene pegmatites, intended to get an indication of their size potential, is planned as part of the ongoing LDG project," said Armstrong.