Argent Minerals (ASX:ARD) is gearing up to finish a helicopter-borne reconnaissance program within 8 to 9 days at its Copperhead Project in Western Australia.
The company, which has a $16.5 million market capitalisation, is undertaking a regional rock chip sampling program over the rare earth element (REE) and potential lithium targets defined at the Copperhead Project.
All rock chips from the reconnaissance program will be dispatched for analysis by ALS Laboratory in Perth upon the completion of the program
Argent says since the beginning of the helicopter-borne survey, 23 locations have been assessed over tenement E08/3463, with a series of extensive pegmatitic dykes located within a zone spanning over 1.4km in length with an average width of more than 20m.
These ‘highly prospective’ pegmatites with the potential to host lithium/REE minerals have been located in the southern portion of E08/3463.
Further, other pegmatite dykes have been delineated within the central part of the tenement. Argent notes these are rich in tourmaline-mica-quartz proximal to the north-south trending mafic dykes.
The company also reports 13 areas over E08/3460 have been assessed, with extensive ironstone outcrops delineated over 12 different sites. These extensive ironstones have the potential to host REE mineralisation similar to the various REE deposits delineated within the Gascoyne region.
Argent Minerals Managing Director Pedro Kastellorizos says: “The geological observation in the field has excited the technical team based on the extensive unknown pegmatites and ironstone field delineated to date.
“These entire areas have never been assessed for their lithium and rare earth potential”
These entire areas have never been assessed for their lithium and rare earth potential, which makes Argent Minerals the first exploration company to systematically explore for these different commodities.
The ASTER ferric oxide hyperspectral imagery has successfully highlighted previously unknown ironstone-rich areas — these are the areas which potentially may host REE mineralisation, as the various explorers in the Gascoyne have target outcropping ironstones for hosting REE deposits.”
Fortescue Helicopters is assisting Argent geologists in accessing the target areas. To date, E08/3463 and E08/3460 have been assessed, with the remaining exploration licence areas to be assessed over another 8 days of work.
Argent Minerals is an ASX-listed company focused on the discovery, extraction, and marketing of precious and base metals. The company has over 1,734km-square of exploration ground in New South Wales, 1,038km-square in Western Australia, and 104km-square in Tasmania.
Write to Aaliyah Rogan at Mining.com.au
Images: Argent Minerals Limited
