Australian heavy rare earths developer, Northern Minerals Limited (ASX: NTU) has received highly anomalous portable XRF measurements of yttrium over relatively wide zones from exploration drilling at the Iceman and Dazzler prospects, located within 15 kilometres from the company’s Browns Range processing plant. The measurement of yttrium using a pXRF is a method that has been used extensively at Browns Range. Preliminary analysis by pXRF suggest drill intercepts with TREO grades of up to 8%.
Preliminary drilling results at Dazzler and Iceman highlight extensive new exploration target
- RC drilling at Dazzler and Iceman prospects have returned encouraging preliminary results
- Preliminary sampling and assessment, using portable XRF (pXRF) on site, has indicated wide, highly anomalous Heavy Rare Earth mineralised zones.
- Preliminary analysis by pXRF suggest drill intercepts with TREO grades of up to 8%
- Significant mineralisation intersected in the Gardiner Sandstone, an overlying unit previously considered less prospective than the underlying Browns Range Metamorphics, which hosts the Wolverine and Gambit West deposits
- Follow up drilling planned for later in the current quarter
Australian heavy rare earths producer Northern Minerals Limited (ASX: NTU) (the Company) is pleased to announce that exploration drilling at the Iceman and Dazzler prospects has returned highly anomalous portable XRF (pXRF) measurements of yttrium over relatively wide zones (see Table 1 below). These two prospects are located less than 15km from the Browns Range processing plant (see Figure 1 below).
Table 1 – Iceman and Dazzler prospects RC drilling – Significant pXRF results (>1m average >5,000ppm pXRF Yttrium )
The measurement of yttrium using a pXRF is a method that has been used extensively at Browns Range. Historical data demonstrates final assayed Yttrium and TREO has a strong correlation with pXRF (Yttrium) field analysis of RC drill samples at Browns Range. However, the pXRF results that are the subject of this report are preliminary only and the “pXRF Yttrium” and “Estimated TREO by Correlation” is only an indication of the expected order of magnitude for TREO and Yttrium final analysis. The samples analysed, that are the subject of this report, will be submitted for laboratory assay, and some variation from the results presented herein should be expected.
Dazzler
Dazzler is located south of the Browns Range Pilot Plant on the edge of a small scarp adjacent to a strong geochemical soil anomaly. The prospect was previously drilled in 2013, with seven RC drill holes completed. These holes were located at the base of the scarp slope and drilled directly into the Browns Range Metamorphics (BRM) unit.
