Cazaly Resources Limited (ASX: CAZ) has advanced exploration with some positive news at its Ashburton Project, located in the Pilbara region of Western Australia.
The project area covers 2,450 sq. km and hosts major regional structures considered to be prospective for large mineralised systems. Cazaly has identified strongly anomalous radiometric trends parallel to stratigraphy within the project which correspond with historic strongly anomalous rare earth element (REE) results. First pass reconnaissance field work has recently been completed by the company to investigate these trends. All analytical results are pending.
Highlights:
- Major regional REE trend identified
- Heli-sampling programme completed
- Rock chip samples collected, assays pending
- Disseminated sulphides and copper oxides identified in rock chip samples collected along the Nanjilgardy fault zone
During ongoing target generation work a 50km long thorium anomaly was identified across the southern portion of the tenements adjacent to the Blair Fault, a deep-seated regional scale structure at the contact between the Ashburton Formation and the Capricorn Group.
Historically, limited low-level exploration was conducted by Fortescue Metals Group Ltd (FMG) across the dolomites within the Capricorn Group in search of REE. Eleven rock chip samples were collected by FMG and analysed for gold, base metals, and REE,
The results indicate the samples are enriched in REE (notably La, Ce, and Pr). Six of these samples are located along the Blair Fault in the southern part of Cazaly’s Ashburton Project area. The samples have elevated REE including: 2,840ppm cerium; 86.5ppm dysprosium; 1370ppm lanthanum; 314ppm praseodymium; and 1,650ppm phosphorus. Neodymium was not assayed.
Cazaly recently completed a helicopter supported rock chip sampling program to determine the prospectivity of the 50km long thorium anomaly and follow up on the previous work conducted by FMG along strike to the south-east. Twenty six samples were collected along the thorium anomaly, six samples were collected at other points of interest, and three samples were collected to assess a preliminary TEM anomaly along the Nanjilgardy fault on tenement E08/3272, known as the Cheela Plains tenement.
Rock chip samples collected on the Cheela Plains tenement contained copper carbonates, visual estimates up to 3% and copper sulphide mineralisation, visual estimates up to 5%, All rock chip samples were submitted to the laboratory for analysis.
Long mineralised trends are characteristic of the Ashburton, it’s a massive project area with significant mineralisation potential, and we are very pleased to have the opportunity to potentially add REE to the prospectivity list at the Project. Now we look forward to receiving the assays to determine the REE content along the 50km thorium trend, and the copper and gold mineralisation on the Cheela Plains tenement,” Managing Director Tara French said.
