West Cobar Metals (ASX:WC1) reports its phase 1 aircore drilling program of 9,000m is now underway and will continue to completion early in 2023 at the Salazar Clay Rare Earth Element (REE) Project in Western Australia.
The company reports the program is planned to extend the existing Inferred Resource of 43.5Mt at 1,192ppm total rare earths oxide (TREO) at Newmont deposit, explore the southern part of E63/1496 which contains Newmont, and to explore the O’Connor licence area (E63/1469).
West Cobar says the intention is to both increase the Inferred Resource at Newmont and to delineate areas where additional Inferred Resources can be defined. Programs of Work (PoWs) for the planned drill programs have been approved by the Western Australian Department of Mines, Industry Regulation and Safety (DMIRS).
Assay results from the drilling are expected within 4-6 weeks of sample dispatch. The results will be integrated with available historical data and an updated Inferred Resource for the Newmont deposit is expected to be delivered in Q2 2023, the company says.
Commenting on the works, Non-Executive Chair Rob Klug says: “We are very pleased to have commenced drilling at our Salazar REE project, which already stands as one of the more advanced clay-hosted REE projects in Australia. The program seeks to build on the discovery of the Newmont REE deposit by expanding the current resource base at Newmont and working toward achieving our Exploration Target of 200-500Mt at 1400ppm TREO for Salazar.”
West Cobar has also re-engaged beneficiation trials with the University of Newcastle and is in the process of re-engaging metallurgical studies with industry partners in the new year.
In addition, the company plans to commence aeromagnetic surveys and drill programs at its Cobar West (Cawkers Well and Nantilla) projects once landholder negotiations have concluded.
West Cobar is progressing the Salazar REE Clay Project which includes the clay-hosted Newmont deposit, containing an Inferred Mineral Resource of 43.5Mt at 1,192ppm total rare earth oxide (TREO) and estimated Exploration Target of 200-500Mt of 1,000ppm to 1,400ppm TREO.
In the area west of Cobar NSW, exploration for copper and silver at the Bulla Park Project is continuing with data reassessment and further geological mapping with a view to establishing new drill targets. Exploration at the Cawkers Well and Nantilla gold and base metal projects will proceed as soon as landholder access agreements are concluded.
Rare earths are a group of 17 chemically similar elements crucial to the manufacture of many hi-tech products including carbon lighting applications, X-ray and MRI scanning systems, computer screens and other devices that have visual displays, and also wind turbines, among others.
Write to Adam Orlando at Mining.com.au
Images: West Cobar Metals Ltd & iStock
