Horizon Minerals (ASX:HRZ) reports that it has encountered shallow clay-hosted rare earth element (REE) and scandium mineralisation from drilling at the Bulong South Gold Project in Western Australia.
In 2022, Western Australia-based mineral exploration company Metalhawk (ASX:MHK) completed a regional 123 hole aircore drilling program close to the Golden Ridge and Cannon deposits. This drilling focused on discovering new nickel mineralisation where Metalhawk has the nickel rights over several of Horizon’s tenements in this area,
In addition to the nickel suite of elements, Metalhawk assayed 5m composite samples for a multi-element package that included cerium (Ce), and lanthanum (La). This data was made available to Horizon.
“As rare earth prices steadily improve, we have noted there have been a substantial increase amongst explorers discovering clay hosted rare earths in Western Australia over the last 12 months”
Horizon reports 8 holes with anomalous levels of cerium and lanthanum were subsequently selected for resampling as single metre intervals, and were also tested for the complete REE suite, in addition to scandium (Sc), yttrium (Y), and lanthanum.
Commenting on the REE mineralisation, Horizon Minerals Managing Director Jon Price says: “It’s encouraging to see this new REE and scandium mineralisation discovered so close to Kalgoorlie. As rare earth prices steadily improve, we have noted there have been a substantial increase amongst explorers discovering clay hosted rare earths in Western Australia over the last 12 months.
Although our primary focus has, and remains, on building resources and developing near-term gold mines at Cannon and Pennys Find, this is a relatively easy opportunity where we can potentially add REO’s (rare earth oxides) and scandium to Horizon’s expanding multi-commodity interests by initially collecting some of the drill samples and submitting them to a laboratory for sighter metallurgical recovery work for both the REE and scandium.
We will then assess the potential economics.”
Horizon reports drillhole resampling was undertaken on the 8 anomalous aircore holes and specific composite intervals showing the ‘highest’ cerium and lanthanum grades. The single splits were submitted to Intertek for aqua regia (partial) digest and multi-element assaying. The company says more complete (full digest) work is planned during the metallurgical testwork phase.
Metalhawk completed 4 aircore lines south of Cannon, 3 lines were barren, but a single line returned ‘significant’ amounts of saprolitic-hosted REE enrichment. The company says the mineralisation was about 30m deep, flat-lying, and laterally extensive. Horizon notes there is very little other REE data around this area, and further work will focus on testing the REE thickness and grade potential to the north and south.
‘Significant’ REEs intersected at Cannon include BVA188 with 1m @ 937g/t Ce2O3, 100g/t praseodymium (Pr6O11), 367g/t neodymium (Nd2O3), 6.09g/t terbium (Tb4O7), 32.1g/t dysprosium (Dy2O3), 71g/t samarium (SM2O3), and 525g/t La2O3.
Horizon reports the bulk of the drilling completed by Metalhawk was directed to the Snake Hill area, located 2km east of Golden Ridge where there appears to be a linear zone of scandium enrichment in the regolith. Central to this, hole BVA065 recorded a maximum single metre scandium assay of 445g/t from 32m.
The company says scandium is often found as a weathering product from ultramafic rocks. These rocks are common around the Golden Ridge area and are likely prospective for hosting scandium enrichment.
Horizon reports its focus remains on obtaining all the permitting and approvals necessary to bring the ‘high-grade’ Cannon underground gold mine into production later this year. A preliminary review of REEs in general has identified that one of the main issues of developing a ‘low-grade’ clay hosted REE is the cost of extraction and concentrate recovery.
If this cost can be achieved efficiently, the company says the project economics would be enhanced. Horizon also says it will submit drill samples for metallurgical testing, including beneficiation and processing pathways. If the results of this are encouraging, the company reports a Scoping Study based on a conceptual resource model for REEs and scandium will be undertaken.
Horizon Minerals is a mid-tier gold producer focused on its ‘high-quality’ projects in the heart of the West Australian goldfields. The company’s portfolio includes the Boorara Gold, Bulong South Gold, Nimbus Silver-Zinc, Lakewood, Binduli-Teal, Kalpini, Baden Powell, Balagundi-Kanowna South, and Black Flag projects near Kalgoorlie.
The company also holds the Rose Hill, Brilliant North, and Yarmany projects near Coolgardie.
