Just one week after the exciting discovery of lithium potential at Ti Tree, Voltaic has confirmed the presence of a unique Rare Earth system at the Neo prospect within its Paddys Well project area in Western Australia’s Gascoyne region.
Assays from the first two drill holes have yielded REE grades up to 10,072 ppm TREO2 (1.0% w/w TREO), confirmed with thick zones of rare earth elements (REE) mineralisation.
The significant mineralised REE intercepts up to 78m from the surface, one of the widest reported in Australia.
Pleasingly, the mineralisation includes valuable yttrium oxide (Y2O3) and magnet REEs neodymium (Nd), praseodymium, terbium (Tb) and dysprosium (Dy).
Additionally, the proportion of highly sought-after ‘magnet’ rare earth elements (REEs) to total rare earth oxide (TREO) reaches its maximum at 30% Magnet REO.
Meanwhile, assay results from the initial two (2) drillholes from Phase 1B with mineralisation remaining open at depth and along strike (assays from all remaining holes pending):
- 78m @ 1,001 ppm TREO (23% Magnet REO) from the surface (NEORB002)
- 40m @ 583 ppm TREO from the surface (NEORC001) (21% Magnet REO), incl: 52m @ 1,270 ppm TREO (24% Magnet REO) (from 21m), incl: 12m @ 3,402 ppm TREO (25% Magnet REO) (from 50m) with a peak of 1m @ 10,072 ppm TREO (30% Magnet REO) (from 55m)
Voltaic CEO Michael Walshe said neo forms part of an expanding regional 6 x 2km anomalous area with multiple >1,000 ppm TREO zones identified at the surface and only a fraction of the site tested.
“The results provide unequivocal evidence for the presence of an extensive REE clay system at Neo, with individual metre values up to 1% TREO, high tenor ‘magnet REE’ percentages up to 30%, and very large, mineralised intercepts up to 78m in width.
“We eagerly await the clays’ metallurgical testing results to determine their preliminary economic viability.
Halloysite has already been identified4 from scanning electron microscope (SEM) analysis, which is a kaolinitic clay mineral commonly found in true IADs,” Mr Walshe said.
According to Mr Walshe, most IADs contain the REEs predominantly within the ultrafine fraction (i.e. <45μm portion containing most of the valuable ‘magnet REE’ mass).
“Hence, we will undertake ‘size by assay’ analysis upfront to determine REE deportment by particle size and will likely only undertake leaching on the fraction that contains the majority of the REE mass,” Mr Walshe said.
“This is considered the most logical approach as it should minimise the amount of reagents required, maximise the ‘magnet REE’ head grade, and is analogous to how a full-scale plant would likely be designed to operate in practice,” he said.
With these stellar initial results in the bank, Voltaic plan to shift gears and focus on its promising primary carbonatite targets.
“We will soon undertake several field surveys including: airborne magnetics / radiometrics, photogrammetry, and soil sampling. These programs will increase our pool of priority targets and ensure several months of highly active and material news flow over the remainder of 2023,” Mr Walshe said.
