Lodestar Minerals (ASX:LSR) has returned assays up to 3.73% total rare earth oxide (TREO) from surface sampling at the Virgin Mountain Rare Earth Element (REE) Project in Arizona, US.
The company is focused on determining the potential of Virgin Mountain’s REE mineralisation along the 5km structural trend.
Lodestar will follow up reconnaissance sampling by compiling geophysical data and fieldwork in the coming works to test potential extensions and investigate the structure.
The REE mineralised structure hosts two areas of surface exposure across 225m, which correlates with a 5km structural trend.
Reconnaissance rock chip sampling at the primary structural trend in 2025 returned 3.73% TREO, containing 48% heavy rare earth oxides (HREO) and 17% neodymium and praseodymium; 1.81% TREO, containing 58% HREO and 14% neodymium and praseodymium; and 1.67% TREO, containing 62% HREO and 13% neodymium and praseodymium.
The company expects to return results from mineralogical studies in March 2026.
Executive Director Coraline Blaud says the company’s reconnaissance sampling program has exceeded expectations by returning higher HREO grades than previously reported for Virgin Mountain.
“The consistently elevated levels of HREO, particularly the highly sought after elements dysprosium, terbium, and lutetium, reinforce the project’s potential to host a strategically significant heavy rare earth system that can contribute to a reliable domestic supply chain in the USA,” Blaud says.
“It is particularly encouraging that, even with limited outcrop exposure, we have been able to define a clear structural trend which provides an exciting target for follow-up exploration.
“Field observations have validated the interpreted 5km structural trend, substantially expanding the potential scale of the mineralised system.
“With mineralogical work expected in the coming weeks, we look forward to rapidly advancing exploration at the Virgin Mountain REE Project.”
Lodestar Minerals is an active base metals and gold explorer focused on its project portfolio in Chile and Western Australia.
Write to Maddison Elliott at Mining.com.au
Images: Lodestar Minerals
