Minerals exploration company Traka Resources (ASX:TKL) reports it has identified additional rare earth element (REE) anomalism at the Mt Cattlin Gold-Copper Project in Western Australia.
The company says a review of previously collected airborne radiometric data has highlighted an area characterised by enhanced thorium values that are coincident with an area suggestive of near-surface REE depletion.
It also states auger geochemical samples collected for the completed 3D geochemical footprint modelling program are now being used to undertake further assessment of this potential.
Traka Resources Managing Director Patrick Verbeek says: “This is an exciting new anomaly that further supports the potential to identify significant REE mineralisation at Mt Cattlin.
“This is an exciting new anomaly that further supports the potential to identify significant REE mineralisation at Mt Cattlin”
Thorium’s unique relationship with REE, which often sees thorium anomalies as a key identifier of deeper REE mineralisation at the base of the weathered zone, make this a high priority target for follow-up drilling.
Importantly, we’re able to test this REE potential as part of our existing copper-gold exploration program, with the planned drillholes set to test the buried intrusives as well as the potential carbonatites.
We are also planning to undertake an aircore drilling program to further assess the potential for REE mineralisation at surface. We are delighted that these programs are being undertaken with guidance from Dr Phillip Hellman, who is an internationally recognised REE expert with extensive international experience.”
Traka reports residual near-surface thorium anomalies are consistent with depletion of REE into the underlying weathered clay-rich zone by downward leaching. Thorium, being relatively immobile, can therefore be a ‘key indicator’ of underlying supergene enriched REE mineralisation at the base of the weathered zone.
This scenario is especially applicable where the weathered regolith profile is in-situ and not covered by transported overburden. Traka states this is the case at Mt Cattlin, where the elevated thorium values occur in gently sloping land immediately west of the Ravensthorpe Fault.
The company reports this is in contrast with the previously reported TREO anomalies in the centre of the project area, which appear to be structurally controlled. The thorium anomaly is an additional target to the TREO targets, and ‘significantly’ increases the scale of REE prospectivity at Mt Cattlin.
Traka states further evaluation of the project data in addition to sampling of old drillholes for REEs is currently underway. The locations previously observed to have fenite alteration, which the company says is characteristic of the presence of REE-bearing carbonatite intrusives, is also being reinvestigated.
The new thorium anomaly area will be tested alongside the TREO anomalies, with aircore drilling to be conducted to the base of weathering. At this stage, Traka says it is not known whether the REEs in the regolith are readily leachable or locked within resistant phases such as zircon or monazite.
Future work will require desorption tests if REEs are found to have accumulated within clay-rich horizons such as those found elsewhere in established Ionic Adsorption Deposits (IAD).
The underlying bedrock potential for REE elements associated with alkali intrusives and carbonatites can be assessed concurrently via the resampling of old drillholes and the drilling of 2 deep drillholes planned to test the buried intrusives.
These deep holes will be the first to test the core of the multi-phase, ‘strongly’ hydrothermally intrusive complex believed to host all mineralisation at Mt Cattlin.
Traka Resources is an ASX-listed minerals exploration company working to ‘unlock’ the potential of the Mt Cattlin Gold-Copper Project in southwest Western Australia.
Other projects held by the company include the Musgrave and Gorge Creek projects.
Images: Traka Resources Ltd
