18 August 2026 | Lake Johnston, Western Australia
TG Metals has reported a maiden inferred mineral resource of 6.71 million tonnes at 1.18% lithium oxide for the Burmeister spodumene deposit at its wholly owned Lake Johnston project in Western Australia's Southern Goldfields.
The estimate is reported above a 0.4% lithium oxide cut-off within an optimised pit shell and focuses on material that may be suitable for a direct-shipping-ore pathway. TG Metals says this approach could allow material to be sold without on-site beneficiation beyond basic crushing and screening, although further studies and modifying factors are required before the resource can be converted to a reserve.
Low-capital development option
Metallurgical test work has indicated that ore sorting could produce a spodumene product grading about 1.5% lithium oxide if upgrading is required. The company is assessing an initial DSO operation as a lower-capital start-up option amid renewed activity in the DSO market during 2026.
Burmeister is located within trucking distance of the Port of Esperance and near operating lithium mines. TG Metals says the deposit has a low strip ratio and low levels of deleterious elements, supported by its spodumene-dominant mineralogy.
Further resource growth targeted
In addition to the maiden resource, TG Metals has defined an exploration target of 11 million to 14.5 million tonnes at between 0.9% and 1.2% lithium oxide. The target is conceptual and is not a mineral resource; more drilling is required to determine whether it can be converted.
Resource-definition drilling is planned during the September 2026 quarter, with the company targeting the pegmatite domains that remain outside the inferred classification. Core drilling is also planned to provide DSO samples for discussions with potential offtakers.
Next steps
TG Metals says it is progressing a mining lease application and water-exploration activities while continuing engagement with interested third parties. These workstreams will help determine whether Burmeister can move towards early production and what mining, logistics and operating capability would be required.
If the DSO concept advances, the project could create demand for drilling, mine planning, approvals, mobile plant and logistics services before any decision on a larger processing operation. The company has not yet made a development or production decision.
Source: TG Metals Limited, "Maiden Lithium Resource lays foundation for first production at Lake Johnston", 18 August 2026.