Osmond Resources (ASX:OSM) reports further progress towards completing its Scoping Study for the Orión EU Critical Minerals Project in southern Spain.
Hole SOR-07A has confirmed continuity of the ‘high-grade’ heavy mineral seam in the Southern Block, intersecting 1.2m @ 0.369% total rare earth oxides (TREO), 1.62% zirconium dioxide (ZrO2), 342ppm hafnium dioxide (HfO2), and 5.38% titanium dioxide (TiO2) from 312.7m.
The intersection includes a ‘higher-grade’ section of 0.6m at 0.512% TREO, 2.23% ZrO2, 461ppm HfO2, and 6.43% TiO2 from 313.3m.
Hole SOR-07A sits 1.63km west of SOR-02 and 1.34km east of SOR-08A, confirming east-west continuity of mineralisation in the Southern Block.
Osmond estimates indicative heavy mineral grades of 1.2m @ 0.55% monazite, 2.4% zircon, 4.5% rutile, and 1.7% ilmenite from 312.7m.
Managing Director Anthony Hall says the drilling results confirm continuity of the heavy mineral-rich seam in an east-west direction.
“The drilling results are significant for the Project as they confirm the continuity of the heavy mineral rich seam in an E-W direction in the Southern Block,” Hall adds.
The company has developed a processing flowsheet for a nominal 2-million-tonne-per-annum operation targeting three product streams: dried zircon concentrate (64.1% ZrO2, 63.6% recovery), dried mixed titanium-mineral flotation concentrate (71.3% TiO2, 36.1% recovery), and filtered monazite-rich rare earth concentrate (22.6% TREO, 60.4% recovery).
The rare earth concentrate shows elevated levels of magnetic rare earths including neodymium, praseodymium, terbium, and dysprosium oxides.
Osmond expects to deliver its maiden mineral resource estimate within four weeks, with the Scoping Study on track for completion in the current quarter.
The Orión project covers 772 Spanish mining units across 232km² in Jaén Province, Andalucía.
Osmond Resources is an exploration and development company focused on advancing critical minerals projects in Europe.
Write to JC Villarba at Mining.com.au
Images: Osmond Resources
