iTech Minerals (ASX:ITM) reports ‘significant’ intersections of rare earth elements (REE) mineralisation following a 478-hole drill program across four prospects in the Eyre Peninsula Kaolin-REE Project in South Australia.
The results, generated from drilling activities at the Caralue Bluff deposit, have returned the presence of REE mineralisation hosted within the kaolin (clay) rich weathered horizon with ‘significant’ intersections including:
- Hole CBAC22-077: 18m @ 2,050ppm TREO from 4m
- Hole CBAC22-083: 32m @ 1,223ppm TREO from 4m
- Hole CBAC22-121: 13m @ 1027ppm TREO from 23m
- Hole CBAC22-086: 4m @ 1,810ppm TREO from 18m
- Hole CBAC22-092: 5m @ 1,056ppm TREO from 15m
- Hole CBAC22-129: 20m @ 959ppm TREO from 13m
- Hole CBAC22-150: 4m @ 1,147ppm TREO from 21m
- Hole CBAC22-054: 22m @ 794ppm TREO from 20m
Speaking on the results, iTech Minerals Managing Director Mike Schwarz said: “This batch of drill results shows a significant extension of the REE mineralised clays in the south-east of the Caralue Bluff Prospect, with additional infill results suggesting that the prospect is consistently mineralised over a large area.”
“This batch of drill results shows a significant extension of the REE mineralised clays”
The company also notes that the results have successfully expanded REE mineralisation over an area of 10km x 9km at the south-east portion of the prospect.
In addition, a further 68 drill holes are also reported with 47 containing additional ‘significant’ intervals of REE mineralisation above the cut-off grade of 350ppm TREO, however a large amount of drilling is yet to be reported.
The Eyre Peninsula Kaolin-REE Project is located about 70km from the industrial mining city of Whyalla in South Australia and covers a total land tenure of 1,445km2 across six prospective prospects.
The project’s Caralue Bluff prospect is host to bright white kaolin at less than 10m depth and up to 17m thickness with historical chemical analyses of the kaolin indicating that it has ‘exceptional’ purity and brightness.
With results from the Caralue Bluff drilling still awaited, iTech announces that it has commenced metallurgical test work on 60 samples taken from the prospect for their easily leachable REE component.
All outstanding results from the recent drilling program at Caralue Bluff are expected by the end of July.
Images: Itech Minerals Ltd
