Asra Minerals (ASX:ASR) has confirmed ‘significant high-grade’ heavy rare earth elements (HREE) through reverse circulation (RC) drilling at the yttria deposit, located within the Mt Sterling Project in Western Australia.
The company says Yttria is emerging as a ‘significant’ rare earth element (REE) and scandium (Sc) deposit with 113 drillholes returning ‘significant’ REE occurrences, with consistent near-surface REE zones up to 2,182 parts per million (ppm) total rare earth and yttrium oxides (TREYO), and ‘high-grade’ scandium oxide grading up to 174ppm Sc2O3 in zones up to 43m thick.
REE intercepts recorded include hole MSC0269 with 7m @ 669ppm TREYO from 5m (76% heavy rare earth oxides (HREO) and 70ppm Sc2O3, including 1m @ 2,182ppm TREYO from 7m; MSC0289 with 10m @ 712ppm TREYO from 5m (69% HREO) and 60ppm Sc2O3; and MSC0212 with 7m @ 650ppm TREYO from 6m (67% HREO) and 103ppm Sc2O3.
Commenting on the drill results, Asra Minerals REE Technical Consultant Ken Collerson says: “The significance of these results show the majority of Yttria assays are similar to other regolith-hosted systems seen throughout the highly prospective region.
However, what Asra has discovered at Yttria is clay-bearing regolith with a low Ce/Ce* less than 1, and a unique and significantly valuable heavy REEs ratio of 62% indicating a high content of valuable dysprosium (Dy) and terbium (Tb).
“What has also emerged from this discovery is the homogeneous and large presence of significantly elevated scandium oxide throughout the entire regolith with values up to 174ppm”
What has also emerged from this discovery is the homogeneous and large presence of significantly elevated scandium oxide throughout the entire regolith with values up to 174ppm.
The scale and potential of the Yttria REE discovery and its location close to infrastructure, has added significant value to Asra’s developing exploration strategy and further consummates its growing list of prospective mineralised zones, creating momentum for future development of Asra Resources.”
The company suggests that yttria is associated with a plume track that has been postulated to exist between Lynas Rare Earths’ (ASX:LYC) Mt Weld Carbonatite near Laverton, and Victory Metals’ (ASX:VTM) North Stanmore alkaline intrusion, near Cue in Western Australia.
Asra reports assays from a further 160 drillholes at yttria are still outstanding and will be progressively reported within the coming weeks.
Asra Minerals is a multi-commodity exploration company focused on its flagship Mt Stirling Project near Leonora in Western Australia.
Images: Asra Minerals Ltd & iStock
