Australian heavy rare earths producer Northern Minerals (ASX: NTU) has announced an upgrade to the Mineral Resource estimate for the Dazzler deposit at the Browns Range Heavy Rare Earth Project in northern Western Australia.
HIGHLIGHTS:
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Upgraded Mineral Resource estimate for the Dazzler deposit has increased the tonnage by over 50%
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Slight grade increase from 2.23% to 2.33% TREO
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Updated Mineral Resource follows maiden Mineral Resource in March 2019
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High proportion of heavy rare earths (95%), with 2,170 ppm dysprosium compared to 750 ppm Dy at Wolverine
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Dazzler now becomes the second largest resource at Browns Range behind Wolverine
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Company is planning mining studies in 2020
The updated Inferred Mineral Resource for the Dazzler deposit has been estimated at 214,000 tonnes at 2.33% TREO comprising 5,000,000 kg TREO using a cut-off grade of 0.15% TREO. This represents a more than 50% increase in contained TREO from the maiden Mineral Resource Estimate reported on 6 March 2019 (see ASX announcement “Dazzler shines with High-Grade Maiden Mineral Resource”).
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 with only patchy mineralisation intersected within the Browns Range Metamorphics. In 2018, follow-up drilling intersected extremely encouraging mineralisation within the Gardiner Sandstone (which had previously been considered non-prospective). Subsequent drilling led to a maiden Mineral Resource estimate in early 2019.
Following several Reverse Circulation (RC) and diamond drilling programs in 2019, (see ASX announcements dated 21 August 2019, 3 September 2019, 12 November 2019 and 11 March 2020) an updated Mineral Resource estimate has been completed.
Commenting on the Dazzler estimate, Managing Director and CEO, George Bauk, said “We are extremely pleased with the growth of the Dazzler resource in a short period of time.
“This is a significant increase in high-grade tonnes for the project and highlights the potential of this style of mineralisation.
“We look forward to getting back on the ground in the future to further test extensions of Dazzler, as well as other unconformity-related targets.”