Nickel-copper-PGE exploration company Narryer Metals (ASX:NYM) has identified rare earth element (REE) and platinum group element (PGE) targets at its namesake Project in Western Australia.
The company says interpretive work was completed on data from a stream sediment survey completed in the 2022 field season. This data shows REE anomalism in stream sediment samples shedding from the weathered gneissic rocks located at Mt Nairn, which coincide with thorium anomalism identified in the airborne radiometric data.
Narryer reports it has identified a key target area at Marrawa Bore as a first area of focus, which covers a strike extent of about 8km. PGE element anomalism has also been identified from the stream sediment survey at the Irida West prospect. The survey identified other target areas to follow up in the field in March, with an aircore drilling program planned for the first half of 2023.
“From our stream sediment data, we are seeing good signs that REE are present on our tenure”
Commenting on the new targets, Narryer Metals Managing Director Dr Gavin England said: “In December and January post-drilling at Mt Nairn, the company began collating and interpreting data from its 2022 field season. From our stream sediment data, we are seeing good signs that REE are present on our tenure, relating to the suite of gneisses which are similarly mapped by GSWA (Geological Survey of Western Australia) to that seen at the Mt Clere clay hosted REE discovery of Krakatoa Resources (ASX:KTA).
The plan now is to combine an aircore program scheduled for the first half of 2023. Also promising is the elevated Pt (platinum) and Pd (palladium) shedding in drainage from weathered ultramafic rocks at the West Irida prospect area, which has had little attention previously.”
Narryer reports the Mt Nairn tenements cover over 1,200km-square and are prospective for nickel-copper-PGE (Ni-Cu-PGE) and iron ore. The Mt Nairn area demonstrates the opportunity to explore for clay-hosted ionic and alluvial-hosted REE mineralization, similar to Krakatoa Resources’ recent discovery in the Narryer Terrane at Mt Clere.
Mapping completed by the GSWA suggests the gneissic source rock underlying the Mt Clere ion-clay REE discovery may also occur on the Mt Nairn tenements. Desert Metals (ASX:DM1) have also announced anomalous REE in their recent drilling at the Innouendy Project area, located north of Mt Nairn.
The company says the GSWA regional surface geochemistry database also shows elevated REEs all over the Mt Nairn tenements. Both the Mt Clere and Innouendy prospects also coincide with thorium anomalism in airborne radiometric data.
The original source of the thorium is most likely derived from REE minerals like monazite in the gneissic bedrock, but may also now occur as secondary thorium mineralisation in lateritic caprock. The REE from this bedrock is the source of REE mineralisation in the saprolitic clays.
Narryer reports there has been no previous stream sediment sampling or REE exploration in the area. It also notes the terrane at Mt Nairn is ideal for this type of sampling to define areas of interest.
Overall the company says the area appears anomalous with REE, with 46 samples containing over 400 parts per million (ppm) cerium-lanthanum-yttrium (Ce-La-Y) oxide from an isolated sample in the northwest portion of the tenement, which requires follow-up work.
While there are several other areas to follow-up in the coming field season, Narryer reports the data details anomalous REE shedding from an area in the southwest of the tenement, referred to as the Marrawa Bore prospect. This area contains weathered, lateritic gneissic material, with several ‘high-level’ thorium anomalies in the radiometrics which cover a strike length of about 8km.
Remote sensing consultancy company Western Geospectral processed and interpreted open file ASTER Imagery over the area of interest. The short-wave infrared light (SWIR) argillic group abundance mineral map identified several pockets of exposed kaolin development in the Marrawa Bore area, which most likely relates to pallid clays underlying residual laterite development. The company says this is an important substrate for ionic clay absorption for REE mineralisation in the area.
PGE anomalism was also observed in the stream survey data from an isolated sample in the Irida West prospect area, which coincides with drainage from outcropping ultramafic rocks. The samples also contained 1,310ppm anomalous chromium (Cr), 66ppm cobalt (Co), and 668ppm nickel (Ni). A follow-up will occur once the field season begins.
Narryer reports it will begin accessing the ground in the coming months to further define target areas, and is currently planning to begin aircore drilling in the first half of 2023. A second stream sediment survey also began in December 2022 over the southern part of the Mt Nairn project area. This survey is planned to be completed once the field season begins in Q1 2023.
Narryer Metals is a Ni-Cu-PGE exploration company focused on the Narryer Project in the Gascoyne Murchison region of Western Australia. The company also holds the Ceduna and Sturt projects in South Australia, as well as the Rocky Gully Project in Western Australia.
Images: Narryer Metals Ltd