ASX-listed exploration company Moho Resources (ASX:MOH) has begun an aircore (AC) drilling program targeting rare earth elements (REEs) and gold at the Burracoppin REE and Gold Project in Western Australia.
The company says the aim of this program is to provide a ‘proof of concept’ for accumulations of ionic clay REEs within drainage channels previously delineated.
This program comprises 39 drillholes for about 2,000m across 3 tenements, and is aiming to investigate the geological constraints of inferred drainage channels, investigate the bedrock source of elevated dysprosium and neodymium, as well as following up and testing historic surface gold mineralisation.
Recent geochemical evaluation of assays generated from project-wide soil surveys and drilling at the Crossroads gold prospect have identified elevated total rare earth elements (TREE) in both surface and downhole data.
The evaluation identified several areas with elevated levels of dysprosium and neodymium, and highlighted potential drainage channels as being prospective for REE accumulation.
Commenting on the program, Moho Resources Managing Director Ralph Winter says: “This exciting next phase of REE exploration should assist in proving the concept of ionic clay REE accumulations over 16km of channel through centre of the Burracoppin project.”
Moho reports drill targets were generated using a combination of interpreted drainage channels, surface geochemical, and airborne magnetic data. However this was restricted to properties with signed land access and compensation agreements. Hole spacing also varies between 100m and 400m.
“This exciting next phase of REE exploration should assist in proving the concept of ionic clay REE accumulations over 16km of channel through centre of the Burracoppin project”
The company says these previously reported channels being targeted in the AC program have been identified by Moho’s consulting geochemist, Richard Carver. The drainage channel on E70/4688 coincides with an airborne electromagnetic (AEM) anomaly, the data for which was acquired by Moho in 2018.
Moho reports the AEM survey maps the electrical conductivity of the subsurface, which can be modelled to infer clay thickness. Where the electrical conductivity is high, indicates layers containing salt water or those which are clay rich, or potentially contain sulphide mineralisation.
The AC program has been designed as a first pass to test the channel visible in the AEM data for REE values. This channel extends for 16km through E70/4688, and is 4.5km at its widest covering about 31.8km-square.
Moho also reports about 23 holes have been designed to test previously identified soil gold anomalies for bedrock mineralisation across E70/5154 and E70/5300.
The soil gold anomalism is coincident with elevated arsenic values and is proximal to shearing and folding which is evident in aeromagnetic data acquired by the company. Moho believes that the coincident gold-arsenic anomalism could be related to sulphide mineralisation in the underlying bedrock.
The northern over 8 parts per billion (ppb) gold anomaly is also coincident with elevated neodymium and dysprosium which may be sourced from the numerous outcropping and sub-cropping granitic units. The company also reports the multi-element analysis of drilling samples will also test if there is REE mineralisation and the depth extent.
Moho Resources is an ASX-listed exploration company with a portfolio of projects across Western Australia. These projects include the Empress Springs Gold, Burracoppin REE and Gold, and the Silver Swan North Gold-Nickel projects.
The Burracoppin project is located about 250km northeast of Perth and covers an area of 1,139km-square across 10 granted exploration licences. Of these tenements, 9 are wholly owned by Moho and E70/4688 is held in a joint venture with IGO (ASX:IGO), with Moho owning a 70% interest in the tenement.
Images: Moho Resources Ltd
