Australian Rare Earths (ASX:AR3) plans drilling across a 10km magnetic corridor that could extend its niobium-rare earth carbonatite discovery in South Australia.
Reprocessing of a 1999 airborne magnetic survey has revealed a prominent 10km long, north-south magnetic anomaly at the Overland Project.
This discovery significantly expands drill targets beyond the initial OV167 discovery announced in July.
Located within the corridor approximately 3km south of the OV167 mineralised intersection, historic hole R64 recorded a significant gamma response from 56–71m and remains open at depth.
CEO Travis Beinke says the reprocessed magnetic data expands the drill target inventory.
“The niobium-rare earth mineralisation intersected in OV167 is now supported by a prominent 10km magnetic corridor, materially expanding our drill target inventory,” Beinke says.
“Historic hole R64 […] while further drilling is required […] provides an independently supported target and suggests the system may extend significantly beyond OV167.”
OV167 intersected 19m @ 0.61% total rare earth oxides (TREO) from 86m to end of hole. The intersection includes elevated neodymium-praseodymium, dysprosium-terbium, and niobium pentoxide, remaining open at depth.
Australian Rare Earths is preparing a targeted drilling program to test priority magnetic geophysical targets along the 10km north-south zone.
Drilling will aim to extend and better define the mineralised carbonatite system intersected in OV167. The program will investigate the magnetic anomaly around historic hole R64 and assess the system’s scale and continuity along strike.
AR3 will complete regulatory approvals and land access for drilling before executing exploration drilling along the magnetic corridor. After approvals, detailed assaying, petrography, and downhole geophysics follow.
Beinke says Overland continues to add ‘critical minerals upside’ to the company’s portfolio while the priority remains advancing the Koppamurra Rare Earths Project toward commercialisation.
Australian Rare Earths is a mineral exploration and development company focused on advancing its flagship Koppamurra Ionic Clay Rare Earths Project in South Australia and Victoria.
Write to JC Villarba at Mining.com.au
Images: Australian Rare Earths
