AuKing Mining (ASX:AKN) reports rare earth mineralisation from western step-out drilling at its Tundulu Project in Malawi.
Hole 26NH011 intersected 72m @ 1.51% total rare earth oxides (TREO) from surface, including 50m @ 2.03% TREO and 20m @ 4.26% TREO from surface.
Hole 26NH002 returned 22m @ 1.5% TREO from surface, including 8m @ 3.39% TREO from 2m and 8m @ 2.09% TREO from 32m. Assays have been received to 73m depth, with results pending for the remainder of the hole, where further carbonatite has been logged.
Managing Director Paul Williams says the holes were drilled west of the main Nathace Hill target area.
“Drillhole 26NH011 was drilled in a direction away from Nathace Hill and still intersected wide intervals of high-grade mineralisation from surface,” Williams adds.
“These results require further specific focus, and drilling plans are being formulated for further targeting in this area around Nathace Hill.”
The drilling expands the known mineralised footprint and indicates the system is laterally extensive beyond areas targeted by initial reverse circulation drilling. Mineralisation from surface across multiple step-out holes supports the interpretation of a substantial near-surface system across Nathace Hill.
The western flank is emerging as a new exploration focus, with limited historical drilling compared with the more extensively drilled eastern side.
The company has assayed nearly 1,500 samples, with about 2,900 more at Intertek’s Perth or Zambia laboratories being prepared. More than 1,300m of diamond drill core samples are also being prepared for assay.
Tundulu lies within exploration licence EL0731/24, covering about 91.5km2 in south-eastern Malawi, roughly 90km east of Blantyre.
AuKing Mining is an Australian critical minerals explorer with a portfolio spanning rare earths, uranium, copper, and zinc across Australia, Tanzania, and Canada.
Write to JC Villarba at Mining.com.au
Images: AuKing Mining
