Lion Rock Minerals (ASX:LRM) has reported ‘high-grade’ rare earth mineralisation from surface at its Minta Rare Earth and Rutile Project in Cameroon, returning assays of up to 21.15% total rare earth oxides (TREO) from retained auger samples.
Hole MRAU0238 returned 2.3m @ 4.54% TREO from surface, including 0.3m @ 21.15% TREO from 2m. The hole ended in mineralisation after the auger was unable to penetrate further into the saprolite.
Other results include 3m @ 3.40% TREO from surface in MRAU0239 and 2m @ 3.49% TREO from surface in MRAU0247. Both represent whole-hole averages.
The assays come from a targeted evaluation of retained material from earlier auger drilling at the Minta Est prospect, which had primarily assessed mineral sands.
Lion Rock submitted 91 samples for inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectrometry analysis, returning 90 valid assays. One sample contained insufficient material.
CEO Theuns de Bruyn says the results have expanded the company’s understanding of the project’s rare earth potential.
“Significant rare earth grades extend from surface within the targeted mineral sands horizons and persist into the saprolite unit,” de Bruyn says.
“As auger drilling was limited in its depth capacity, the company is expediting mobilisation of a diamond drill rig in order to test the depth extent of this high-grade mineralisation.”
Eight of the 15 holes with continuous valid assays averaged more than 1% TREO over their complete drilled depths, while 14 averaged at least 0.5% TREO. No lower cut-off or top cut was applied to the whole-hole averages.
The leading intervals contain neodymium and praseodymium representing about 21–24% of TREO, while dysprosium and terbium contribute 0.6–1.6%.
Lion Rock says the grades are reported on an in-situ drill-interval basis rather than as concentrate grades.
The company notes the chemical assays establish grade and basket composition but do not determine whether the rare earths can be recovered or sold. Mineralogical and petrological test work is planned to identify the host minerals and assess potential processing characteristics.
Lion Rock has also completed a separate 761-hole auger campaign across about 50km of rivers and tributaries at Minta Est. The program generated 3,666 samples, including 2,163 panned samples, with results expected in batches.
The Minta Project comprises 18 granted exploration permits and three applications covering 8,800km² in central Cameroon. It hosts residual and alluvial rutile mineralisation, alongside the monazite-bearing rare earth system being evaluated at Minta Est.
Lion Rock Minerals is an Australian critical minerals developer advancing rare earth and rutile exploration across the Minta Project in Cameroon. It also has a strategic relationship with titanium dioxide producer Tronox Holdings (NYSE:TROX) relating to Minta’s rutile potential.
Write to France Pinzon at Mining.com.au
Images: Lion Rock Minerals
