Allup Silica’s (ASX:APS) Pink Bark Project is showing potential for rare earths, uranium, graphite, and kaolin mineralisation, after conducting additional analysis from samples taken last year.
The samples were taken during a 2023 drilling program to test the underlying clays of licence E63/2138 for rare earths potential, and for thick kaolin accumulations over large areas at Pink Bark. The holes were drilled to fresh bedrock where possible, and the bedrock samples were assayed for multi-element geochemistry.
Allup Silica says further drilling is required to test the mineralisation for size and grade.
As a result of conducting the analysis, the company found overall grades were low for rare earths. However, the area of anomalous rare earths exceeds 49km2 and within this area there are some more intersections that suggest the drillhole may be in the vicinity of “significant” mineralisation.
Meanwhile, Allup Silica reports the uranium assay indicates that the aircore drilling had discovered uranium and associated rare earths mineralisation. Results include up to 232 parts per million (ppm) triuranium octoxide and 980ppm rare earths for a total rare earth element of 1,212ppm.
The company notes there is currently not enough information available to be able to classify the style of mineralisation encountered.
Allup Silica interpreted that much of the rare earths anomalism intersected in the aircore drilling to date represents either distal weak mineralisation or dispersed secondary anomalism within the supergene weathered bedrock.
Additional aircore drilling will be required to close in on potentially economic mineralisation prior to defining reverse circulation and diamond drilling targets.
Independent Metallurgical Operations was engaged by Allup Silica to complete further mineralogy brightness and yellowness testing on 10 samples from 10 different drillholes.
Assessing the quality of the kaolinite intersected in aircore drilling uncovered intersections of kaolin rich saprolite that has the critical brightness, yellowness mineralogy and grain size that compares favourably to existing kaolin products sold on the market today.
The Pink Bark Project is located in the Albany Fraser Province’s Biranup zone, north of Esperance in Western Australia.
Allup Silica is an explorer focused on the future development of heavy mineral sands and silica sand tenements in Western Australia.
Write to Aaliyah Rogan at Mining.com.au
Images: Allup Silica
