Enova Mining (ASX:ENV) has announced results from its diamond drilling program at the East Salinas Project in Minas Gerais, Brazil, with results confirming rare earth element (REE) ionic adsorption (IAC) style mineralisation within thick surface saprolite clays.
Assay results from the first four diamond drill holes of the 14-hole program returned multiple intercepts of total rare earth oxides (TREO) and neodymium-praseodymium (NdPr) ration with saprolite.
Key intercepts include 12m @ 2,741 parts per million TREO and 23% NdPr from surface; 8m @ 1,482ppm TREO and 22.1% NdPr from surface; 13m @ 1,654ppm TREO and 16.8% NdPr from surface; 7m @ 3,467ppm TREO and 21.5% NdPr from surface; and a peak grade of 5,058ppm TREO @ 25% PdPr from 1-2m.
The drill program comprised 14 holes for a total of 989.63m, with samples collected from targets across Bald Hill, Naked Hill, Hairy Hill, and Flat Hill, with samples returning multiple ‘high-grade’ rare earth results which support the thesis that these targets are part of a larger, coherent body of mineralisation.
CEO Eric Vesel says that the assay results have greatly improved the company’s understanding of the system.
“Drilling has confirmed that the strongest REE enrichment occurs within saprolite clays, with mineralisation present across all holes drilled to date,” Vesel says.
“The consistency and thickness of the saprolite intersected across targets spaced over approximately four kilometres suggests the potential for broad scale saprolite coverage. Initial IAC leach test results indicate that the surface clays are amenable to low intensity processing, supporting the potential for a lower cost development pathway.
“These results allow the company to progress the targeted auger drilling to define the extent of saprolite mineralisation and further assess metallurgical performance. The identification of ion adsorption style mineralisation at surface provides Enova with a clear and systematic pathway for advancing the East Salinas Project.”
The company will now submit remaining drill core samples for assay and leach testing, while preparing auger drilling to delineate saprolite coverage. Tenements covering 22,706 hectares are in the process of being transferred to Enova Brasil.
Enova continues to advance its portfolio of REE and battery metals projects across Brazil and Australia, with East Salinas emerging as a priority target for resource delineation and development.
Enova Mining is a critical minerals exploration and development company, focused on the growing global demand for rare earth elements and battery metals.
Write to Amy Rotman at Mining.com.au
Images: Enova Mining
