"This batch of drill results show a significant extension of the REE mineralised clays in the south-east of the Caralue Bluff Prospect, with additional infill results suggesting that the prospect is consistently mineralised over a large area."
HIGHLIGHTS
• Additional drill results from the Caralue Bluff regolith hosted REE – Kaolin Prospect return thick, high-grade intervals of REE mineralisation in the clay rich weathering profile, further expanding the area of REE mineralisation
Intersections at Caralue Bluff include:
CBAC22-077 – 18m @ 2,050 ppm TREO from 4m
CBAC22-083 – 32m @ 1,223 ppm TREO from 4m
CBAC22-121 – 13m @ 1027 ppm TREO from 23m
CBAC22-086 – 4m @ 1,810 ppm TREO from 18m
CBAC22-092 – 5m @ 1,056 ppm TREO from 15m
CBAC22-129 – 20m @ 959 ppm TREO from 13m
CBAC22-150 – 4m @ 1,147 ppm TREO from 21m
CBAC22-054 – 22m @ 794 ppm TREO from 20m
• At Caralue Bluff, REEs in clay now extend over an area of 10 km x 9 km with significant results reported in the south-east of the prospect
• Results from a further 68 drill holes are reported here with a significant amount of drilling still to be reported
• All drill results are expected by the end of July
Exploration Results for Rare Earth Element Projects can be a bit more complicated than for projects targeting metals like Gold and Copper. WATCH iTech Minerals Managing Director Mike Schwarz explains what you need to know and what to look out for.
DETAILS
Caralue Bluff Prospect
The Caralue Prospect was initially established as a high purity kaolin prospect with the identification of thick intervals of bright white kaolin, close to surface, in several historical drill holes. Having identified significant REEs in the kaolin rich intervals at Ethiopia, Burtons and Bartels Prospects, iTech geologists suspected that Caralue Bluff might also be prospective for regolith hosted REE mineralisation. Initial drill results (see ASX Release 14 April 2022) revealed thick intervals of elevated REE mineralisation over 8 km. The latest results extend this to an area of approximately 10 km x 9 km. A total area of 12 km x 12 km was tested by drilling of 260 holes, the results of which will determine the continuity of mineralisation within this already extensive area.
Next Steps
60 samples from Caralue Bluff are currently undergoing metallurgical test work. Samples are being tested for their easily leachable REE component with a straight acid leach at pH 1-2 and then for the ionic component with a leaching solution at pH 4 and 0.5M ammonium sulphate.
For all potential IAC REE projects, samples are being selected to be representative of the entire range of geological environments within the prospect, not only laterally (east-west and north-south), but also at various levels within the weathering profile (vertically).
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