Critical minerals explorer Enova Mining (ASX:ENV) has uncovered a ‘large-scale’ surface saprolite clay system and its new Poços Rare Earth Element (REE) Project in Brazil.
The company found the system through its phase one exploration program over the area, which is still ongoing and is designed to cover all of the company’s lithium and REE tenements in Brazil’s Poços de Caldas Alkaline Intrusive Complex.
Enova confirmed on 10 January its intent to move forward with the Brazilian tenement purchase, and the company says it’s now fast-tracking exploration to confirm the potential of ionic adsorption clays (IAC) and lithium minerals in the area.
With on-ground exploration in the area having been ongoing for over a week, Enova geologists have identified several areas of saprolite clays suitable for shallow drill sampling and assaying, according to the company.
In this vein, Enova says auger drill rigs are expected to arrive and mobilise on-site this week, with the planned maiden drilling program for the area to include vertical auger holes in prospective areas.
The company’s discovery of the surface saprolite clay system at Poços is in addition to outcrop findings in the region reported as part of its due diligence work over the project in late 2023.
According to Enova, the presence of surface saprolite clay satisfies one of the criteria for the potential presence of an IAC-style deposit in the project area. This is further supported by the fact that the Poços project lies in the same geological context of REE occurrences in the massif, with known occurrences of IAC with rare earths.
Enova says the Poços tenements neighbour projects owned by other ASX-listed explorers with established IAC and lithium minerals.
While Enova is working to establish the potential of its new Brazilian assets, the company’s core focus remains its Charley Creek Rare Earth Project in the Northern Territory.
Enova Mining had around $939,000 cash and cash equivalents at hand at the end of December 2023, according to its latest quarterly report.
Write to Joshua Smith at Mining.com.au
Images: Enova Mining
