Narryer Metals (ASX:NYM) has discovered shallow, ‘high-grade’ scandium mineralisation across 1.7km of strike at its Pingrup Project in Western Australia.
The project complements Narryer’s existing Rocky Gully Scandium-Rare Earth Elements-Gallium Project, located 180km southwest.
A review of historic drilling data revealed 31 significant scandium intersections grading above 100 parts per million (ppm) scandium oxide (Sc2O3), with mineralisation predominantly hosted in saprolitic clays at shallow depths of 12m to 42m.
Standout intercepts include 9m @ 430 ppm Sc2O3 from 15m, including 3m @ 765 ppm Sc2O3; 12m @ 179 ppm Sc2O3 from 30m; 12m @ 214 ppm Sc2O3 from 21m; and 15m @ 183 ppm Sc2O3 from 9m.
Executive Chairman Richard Bevan says the discovery provides Narryer with the opportunity to become a ‘significant’ scandium supplier.
“This new Pingrup Project was discovered by the Narryer geological team, who were charged to find other scandium opportunities within the same region as Rocky Gully,” Bevan says.
“The existing drill coverage on the Pingrup Project makes it an advanced exploration project, with the potential for a maiden resource being delivered early in future project development.”
The Pingrup Project covers 78km2 of granted tenement overlaying freehold land, 8km north of Pingrup and 300km from Perth, with sealed road access connecting to the Albany port.
Previous drilling at the project also intersected substantial rare earth mineralisation, returning 18m @ 1,767 ppm total rare earth oxide.
Bevan notes the geological similarities between Pingrup and Rocky Gully provide potential development synergies.
“The geological host rocks, grades, and potential size of the mineralised zone at the Pingrup Project has similarities with our Rocky Gully Project, with potential opportunities that the two projects may share similar metallurgical flowsheets,” he says.
Narryer is now planning aircore drilling to define higher-grade zones alongside a detailed magnetic survey to assist in mapping mafic and ultramafic units.
Global scandium production is currently estimated at 90 tonnes annually and dominated by China, with demand driven by aluminium-scandium alloys, solid oxide fuel cells, and electronics.
Narryer Metals is a critical minerals explorer with projects in Australia and Canada.
Write to Paula Fabe at Mining.com.au
Images: Mining.com.au
