Western Australian-based minerals company WA1 Resources (ASX:WA1) reports it has highlighted a zone of weathered, enriched ‘high-grade’ niobium-tantalum mineralisation following a maiden drilling program completed in August at the West Arunta Project in Western Australia (WA).
The results, generated by P2 discovery drillhole PARC003, have returned ‘high-grade’ niobium (Nb2O5) and tantalum (Ta2O5) mineralisation from a previously unreported drillhole zone, with grades reported upwards of 1.72% Nb2O5, 1.15% Total Rare Earth Oxide (TREO) and 649ppm Ta2O5.
Other key primary intersections include: 54m at 0.62% Nb2O5, 0.17% TREO and 54ppm Ta2O5 from 162m, 12m at 0.66% Nb2O5, 0.62% TREO, 208ppm Ta2O5 from 61m; including 5m at 0.90% Nb2O5, 0.76% TREO, 290ppm Ta2O5.
It is reported that these single metre assays are in line with, or improve upon, previously reported 4m composite assays below 74m depth.
Single metre phosphorus assays have not yet been received.
Drilling at the P2 target was conducted to test a semi-coincident gravity and magnetic anomaly which occurred west of a regionally ‘significant’ northeast trending shear zone that is considered prospective to serve as a structural fluid pathway.
Speaking on the results, WA1 Resources’ Managing Director, Paul Savich says: “The identification of a ‘high-grade’ zone of weathered enrichment above the previously assayed mineralised zone at P2 enhances the discovery and provides an additional shallow target for exploration in 2023.
Of particular interest is the substantial increase in tantalum and rare earth element anomalism within this weathered portion of the drillhole. This suggests potential for both lateral and vertical zonation of mineralisation within the P2 carbonatite system such as that which occurs at world-class carbonatite deposits, for instance Mt Weld.
“Of particular interest is the substantial increase in tantalum and rare earth element anomalism within this weathered portion of the drillhole. This suggests potential for both lateral and vertical zonation of mineralisation within the P2 carbonatite system…”
We’re extremely excited about next year’s field program and will share details once aspects are finalised.”
The company also notes that these results open ‘significant’ potential for lateral and vertical zonation of mineralisation within P2, which occurs at world-class carbonatites such as the Mt Weld tenement in WA’s Goldfields Region.
In addition, an analysis of 8 samples taken from 3 drillholes at the Luni target has confirmed the existence of a calcio- and magnesio-carbonatite intrusive system within the target area.
The calcio-carbonatite at Luni shares similarities to that seen at the P2 intrusion and that the composition of the carbonatite may vary with lateral and vertical extent based on the limited drill data available to date.
WA1 Resources is an ASX-listed company focused on mineral exploration within the prospective tenure of Western Australia. The company’s West Arunta Project is located about 490km south of Halls Creek in WA and comprises the Pachpadra, Sambhar and Urmia prospect areas, which are contained within a granted exploration licence.
With results from the August drilling program still yet to be received, WA1 Resources announces it will build on this first-pass assessment by undertaking more detailed mineralogical and petrographic analysis of the carbonatite systems at P2 and Luni as part of its 2023 exploration program.
Images: WA1 Resources Ltd
