Voltaic Strategic Resources (ASX:VSR) has switched up its assessment of uranium prospectivity across its projects in light of the recent global resurgence in interest in nuclear power and ongoing discourse within Western Australia regarding potential changes to the current uranium mining policy.
Encouragingly, a review of historical and recent REE-targeted drilling at Paddys Well has unveiled significant uranium intersections. A small portion of the eastern margins of the Project were previously explored for uranium and several occurrences were found within and proximal to Voltaic’s “Neo” prospect which was previously identified as a high priority REE target.
Voltaic also recently undertook an extensive magnetic and radiometric survey which has identified multiple radiometric anomalies across Paddys Well and the company is actively planning follow-up systematic reconnaissance, aligning with its previously outlined rare earth element (REE)-carbonatite targets.
Voltaic Chief Executive Officer Michael Walshe said Paddys Well is the company’s largest
project by area and is highly prospective for uranium and other metals due to its geological setting.
“It overlays a significant unconformity and is traversed by the major ‘Chalba’ shear zone which is accompanied by several sub-shears and faults. These serve as geological conduits, essentially acting as 'plumbing' systems for the potential transport of metal-rich fluids from the deep mantle.
“Voltaic has already identified a substantial clay-hosted REE system at the Neo prospect, and the latest uranium findings further underscore the project's considerable potential to host economic mineralisation, whilst noting that the Company’s recent drilling was targeting REEs, not uranium.
“Multiple explorers have identified significant uranium anomalies within our current tenure, revealing both secondary and primary (uraninite) mineralisation with a chemical signature resembling Jabiluka. Despite two drill campaigns yielding well-mineralised intercepts and numerous geophysical anomalies, only ~three trends out of several dozen underwent testing, primarily utilising shallow drillholes.
“This is the crux of the opportunity at hand: more than 90% of the current tenement area remains unexplored systematically for uranium or any other metals. We eagerly anticipate commencing the next phase of on-ground exploration in the upcoming weeks” Mr Walshe said.
Historical drilling at the ‘Area 16’ prospect, and a recent campaign by VSR targeting shallow REE mineralisation at ‘Neo’ to the west, returned several mineralised uranium intercepts with each occurrence overlying distinctive radiometric anomalies. Several additional peaks are also apparent from this data and warrant follow-up.
The rocks within Area-16 consist of a sequence of microgneisses, amphibolites and chlorite schist abutting onto the Archaean gneisses by a fault or mylonite zone. These metamorphosed sediments are overlain by a sequence of carbonates, graphite schist and calcsilicate rocks.
Next steps at Paddys Well
- Follow-up on-ground systematic reconnaissance is planned across the previously identified radiometric anomalies focusing both on REE and uranium prospectivity.
- Previously acquired radiometric data has identified several trends that overlay interpreted and mapped structures which provides a robust basis for U-focused targeting,
- Surface spectrometer surveys and structural and lithological mapping will confirm and delineate further potential mineralised zones within the extensive corridor of regional and cross cutting shear zones.
- Planning for follow-up shallow drilling at Neo is in progress to delineate U mineralisation along strike of the identified anomalous zones and will help guide deeper drilling for subsequent campaigns.
