Tyranna Resources (ASX:TYX) is expecting assays from 513 soil samples at its Sulima West prospect in Angola in the March quarter of 2027, ahead of drilling planned for the June quarter.
Sulima West is one of four prospects at the Coola Rare Earths and Niobium Project in central Angola, about 60km northwest of Huambo.
Spot sampling of pre-1970 trenches by vendor Pensana (LSE:PRE) returned a peak of 10.6% total rare earth oxides (TREO) in near-surface laterite. Of the 22 samples, 14 exceeded 2% TREO, including nine above 5%.
Soil sampling across 238 sites on a 50m by 50m grid peaked at 10.8% TREO. Across the sites, 49 samples returned more than 2% TREO, including 10 samples above 5%.
The 900m-long anomaly remains open to the north. Tyranna notes the Angolan laboratory that analysed the soils generally understated rare earth concentrations.
Neodymium-praseodymium (NdPr), the key magnet rare earths, makes up a median 19% of TREO in soils above 2% TREO.
The share reaches 29% in the best trench samples. Work to date covers about 650m by 800m, less than 5% of the 4.2km-diameter alkaline and carbonatite ring complex.
The company is also assaying 207 trench, pit, and rock samples previously screened only by portable X-ray fluorescence. Drilling at Coola and Sulima West is likely to start in the June quarter of 2027, subject to the length of the wet season.
Managing Director David Crook says the upcoming soil assays will shape the company’s 2027 drilling plans.
“We have already sampled the wider structure, with assays of 513 new soil samples due back in the March quarter,” Crook adds.
Tyranna may earn 70% of Coola Mining LDA through its subsidiary Luvulu (Mauritius). Pensana is developing the Longonjo Rare Earths Project, about 45km south of Coola.
Tyranna Resources is an Australian explorer advancing a portfolio of critical minerals and gold projects across Angola.
Write to JC Villarba at Mining.com.au
Images: Tyranna Resources
