MetalsGrove Mining Limited (ASX: MGA) has confirmed high-grade Rare Earth Element (REE) carbonatite mineralisation with Reverse Circulation (RC) drilling at the Brice Prospect within the Arunta Project, north of Alice Springs in the Northern Territory.
MGA recently completed a total of 16 RC holes for 2,343m designed to test several high priority targets including identified multiple high priority carbonatite and REE bearing drill targets reported from soil sampling with multiple zones of mineralisation.
Assays from this programme have returned high-grade carbonatite REE grades of up to
Further, drilling has also highlighted exceptionally high-grade carbonatite of 38% MREO/TREO, 58% HREO/TREO 28% NdPr/TREO and 36% Y2O3/TREO.
Carbonatite outcrops extend strike east-west by 9km and remain open.
We are delighted with the initial outcomes from our first drilling campaign at Bruce. These results demonstrate the clear potential for Bruce to host a considerable carbonatite and REE system with the outcropping strike of now extending over nine km,” Managing Director, Sean Sivasamy, said.
“The Bruce Prospect is shaping as an excellent opportunity for MGA and demonstrates the underlying exploration potential of our Arunta Project area in the Northern Territory – a region home to several world-class deposits.
“Drilling has also recently been completed at our Edwards Creek Prospect, which is nearby to Bruce, so we look forward to reporting further news as these results become available.”
All the intersections are shallow at depth with the geology of the holes in altered biotite schist and gneiss. The most significant intersections occur near surface and in the weathered zone. Weathering processes typically concentrate rare earth element (REE). The primary rock is leached and the rare earth oxides (REO) are concentrated in the weathered zone.
The grades returned in the Bruce drilling compare very favourably and indicate potential for the project if sufficient tonnes can be found. The HREO/TREO, MREO/TREO and NrPr/TREO ratios are all reasonable and comparable to other REE projects.
