Havilah Resources Ltd (ASX:HAV) has detected elevated levels of rare earth elements (REE) during re-assaying of drill samples from several deposits and prospects in northeast South Australia.
Elevated REE levels have been returned from the large Kalkaroo copper-gold-cobalt deposit and Croziers copper prospect while historical results from Eurinilla and Birksgate prospects also reveal REE.
Two drill samples from West Kalkaroo contain elevated levels of higher value REE, with up to 1,355 ppm neodymium (Nd) and 366 ppm praseodymium (Pr).
Kalkaroo studies
Havilah has started studies on the Kalkaroo project to investigate the potential for economic recovery of an REE concentrate as a by-product.
Eleven drill samples from Croziers are similarly elevated in REE, with up to 953 ppm Nd, 425 ppm Pr, 5,443 ppm lanthanum (La) and 6,104 ppm cerium (Ce).
Levels “warrant follow-up”
The companys technical director Dr Chris Giles said: “The elevated REE levels in fairly typical West Kalkaroo saprolite gold ore drill samples clearly warrant careful follow-up studies.
“The critical questions for Havilah are what mineral(s) host the REE and can the REE be recovered and concentrated to produce a saleable, direct shipping by-product along with copper concentrates?
“We plan to initiate some strategic metallurgical test work to investigate these questions due to the potential opportunity to enhance the Kalkaroo project economics.”
Strategic importance
REE are of relevance and strategic importance given the Australian Governments recent efforts in promoting international investment in the development of critical minerals resources within Australia.
Havilah shares are up 9% today to 12 cents.
Most historic exploration in the Curnamona Craton has been directed at base metal, uranium and gold mineralisation, meaning that REE were not routinely assayed.
Given the strategic importance of REE, Havilah believes that study of REE distribution and grade across its deposits and prospects is warranted due to the potential opportunity to enhance the deposit and/or project economics.
New REE assays are from re-assaying of selected retained drill samples from West Kalkaroo and the Croziers copper prospect. REE assays are also presented for earlier MMG JV drilling at Eurinilla and Birksgate prospects.
West Kalkaroo samples
Two copper-gold mineralised reconnaissance aircore drill hole samples recently re-assayed from West Kalkaroo show elevated levels of higher value REE, namely Nd, Pr, dysprosium (Dy) and terbium (Tb).
These four elements make up around 80% of the potential value of REE in the two samples, which are from the soft clayey saprolite gold ore at West Kalkaroo.
The levels of these REE in the underlying copper ore types is yet to be determined, although previous limited La assay values were generally elevated.
Croziers results
Composites of 11 drill samples also re-assayed from two Havilah reverse circulation holes at Croziers returned elevated REE, although with higher relative proportions of the light-REE, namely La and Ce.
REE analyses reported earlier by MMG Limited from a diamond hole at Croziers compare favourably with Havilahs new assays.
Higher value REE at Croziers are spatially associated with the copper skarn mineralisation in the fresh and oxidised zones.
It has been possible to broadly outline a REE mineralisation envelope at Croziers in pink and grey. This partially overlaps a copper mineralised envelope (green) and abuts a potential tungsten mineralised zone (yellow).
Giles said: “While the Kalkaroo project will be the initial focus for REE test work, in due course exploration drilling of the stratabound copper-gold mineralisation will also follow-up the associated elevated REE at several other locations in the Curnamona Craton such as Croziers and Eurinilla.”
Exploration drilling planned for the current quarter will primarily target copper and tungsten mineralisation at Croziers but will also be designed to search for extensions of the associated untested REE mineralisation.
Technical review
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