MTM Critical Metals’ has had a dream start to drilling at its first foray into Canadian soil, striking a whopping 500 metres of visible, rare earth mineralisation at its Pomme acquisition in Québec, Canada.
Handheld XRF confirmed the mineralisation, which remains open in the first hole as part of a ten-hole program to validate historical drilling and expand Pomme’s potential to hold a significant discovery of critical metals.
MTM Managing Director Lachlan Reynolds was excited at the returns, a first hole that not only intersected prospective carbonatite, but appeared to be continuously mineralised and, based on the eye test, is likely to bear some significant grades.
This hole is a vindication of our confidence that this drilling campaign at the Pomme project could have potential for making a major new rare earth element and niobium deposit discovery,” Mr Reynolds said.
“We are now eagerly waiting in the results of assays and getting samples to the laboratory in Canada is a high priority. Drilling is ongoing and the second hole is underway,” he added.
“The Kintavar Exploration team managing the exploration program on-site are congratulated for delivering this excellent result, which comes only 3 months after signing the option agreement over the project.”
Canadian rare earths
While junior lithium and gold exploration is commonplace, there have been few ASX-listed explorers to set up for REEs in the mining-friendly and infrastructure-rich jurisdiction.
But MTM made the call early in the year to secure what it believed to be a high-calibre project at the pre-resource exploration stage and use its expertise to build up a known carbonatite intrusion bearing globally significant widths.
And its location could be even more significant on the global stage, with only rare earth mines operating in North America, as acquiring the suite of metals becomes an increasingly geopolitical issue.
Forward plan
Assays are expected in as little as four weeks. MTM will continue carrying out its 5000-metre diamond program while continuing work on greatly expanded rare earth and a laterite nickel discovery at East Laverton.
