Australian heavy rare earths developer Northern Minerals (ASX: NTU) has revealed a maiden Mineral Resource estimate for the Dazzler deposit at its Browns Range project in northern Western Australia. The results show Dazzler has a grade that is more than 3x the average for Browns Range, marking an important step for the potential of the full-scale project.
Australian heavy rare earths producer Northern Minerals (ASX: NTU) has revealed a maiden Mineral Resource estimate for the Dazzler deposit at its Browns Range Heavy Rare Earth Project in northern Western Australia.
The maiden Inferred Mineral Resource for the Dazzler deposit has been estimated at 144,000 tonnes at 2.23% TREO comprising 3,200,000 kg TREO using a cut-off grade of 0.15% TREO.
The Dazzler deposit is located less than 15km from the Browns Range Pilot Plant on the edge of a small scarp slope. The prospect was first drilled in 2013 that only intersected patchy mineralisation within the Browns Range Metamorphics.
In 2018, an alternate geological hypothesis led Northern Minerals to drill the geochemical anomaly from the top of the escarpment. This intersected extremely encouraging mineralisation within the Gardiner Sandstone (which had previously been considered non-prospective). Results of this drill program were reported on 11 September 2018 (see ASX announcement “Assay results confirm Dazzler & Iceman discoveries”).
Commenting on the Dazzler estimate, Managing Director and CEO, George Bauk, said, “With the Browns Range Pilot Plant Project now underway, the addition of high-grade resources to the mineral inventory is a positive important step for the potential full-scale project.
“It is important to note that the maiden Dazzler Mineral Resource is based on limited drilling and there is excellent potential for resource additions at Dazzler, Iceman and other targets within the Gardiner Sandstone.”
