ActivEx (ASX:AIV) plans to explore for rare earths and base metals in Queensland, after being granted one of two exploration permits lodged in 2022 for the Aramac Project.
There are two primary targets within the Aramac Project, one being kaolinitic fine-grained sediments of the Wallumbulla Formation with rare earths potential.
The other relates to fine-grained sediments of the underlying Ronlow Beds with base metal potential.
At the first target, recent fieldwork has delineated a 15km strike of pale kaolinitic rock exposed as a 3m-high scarp above a generally flat, sand-covered plain.
ActiveEx says nine rock samples were collected, which returned a maximum total rare earth oxide (TREO) analysis of 777 parts per million (ppm), with four samples returning more than 250ppm TREO.
Meanwhile, at the base metals target, nine samples of outcropping fine-grained sediments underlying the scarp with black and brown limonite coating were submitted to ALS laboratories for geochemical analyses.
Eight samples returned between 200ppm and 706ppm zinc, while two samples returned between 200ppm and 1,070ppm cobalt.
Exploration manager Mark Derriman says the results indicate rare earths and base metal potential along a considerable strike length at the contact of two sedimentary units.
“The TREO analysis of 777ppm from only a handful of samples is very encouraging along with the 2m to 3m thickness of the host kaolinitic sediment,” he says.
“The adjacent outcropping limonite stained sediments with cobalt to 1,070ppm and zinc to 706ppm are of interest in that they may be the surface expression of sulphide mineralisation at depth. Historical exploration has only been a handful of shallow aircore drillholes targeting mineral sands with no exploration for rare earths of base metal mineralisation.”
ActivEx plans to conduct a desktop review of all historical exploration and geological studies of satellite imagery to define the target stratigraphy, as part of its 2024 and 2025 exploration plans.
The company will also submit required documents to the relevant stakeholders regarding proposed exploration plans, as well as field-based geological traverses along both targets.
Once complete, rock samples will be submitted to ALS before an initial phase of exploration and broad-spaced aircore drilling begins.
ActivEx is a mineral explorer focused on precious and critical minerals. The company has substantial tenement packages in north and southeast Queensland.
Write to Aaliyah Rogan at Mining.com.au
Images: ActivEx
