Lanthanein Resources Ltd (ASX:LNR) has unearthed very high-grade rare earth element (REE) mineralisation over a 1-kilometre strike at the Lyons Rare Earths Project in Western Australia.
The company’s drilling has revealed neodymium and praseodymium grades that make up to 55% of the total rare earth oxides (TREO), more than three times the world average for these REEs.
Lanthanein also identified anomalous niobium in drill holes on the margins of the Lyons Magnetic Intrusive Complex, related to carbonatite formations to be drill tested in the first quarter of next year.
“The high-grade REE results returned in drilling have exceeded our expectations, demonstrating economic REE mineralisation from outcrop extending over a 1-kilometre strike at Lyons 12 and 13, with high-grade REE mineralisation remaining open at depth and along strike,” Lanthanein's technical director Brian Thomas said.
“We are extremely pleased with the exceptionally high neodymium-praseodymium component, more than three times the world average, giving these ironstones significant economic value.”
REE assay results
The ironstones intersected at Lyons have demonstrated widths of between 1 and 5 metres, similar to Hastings Technology Metals' main REE deposits some 2.5 kilometres away.
Results of note include:
- 5 metres at 0.69% TREO from 20 metres, including 2 metres at 1.06% TREO (41% neodymium-praseodymium) from 21 metres;
- 3 metres at 0.82% TREO from 30 metres, including 1-metre at 1.67% TREO (55% neodymium-praseodymium) from 31 metres;
- 3 metres at 0.57% TREO from 6 metres, including 1-metre at 1.11% TREO (51% neodymium-praseodymium) and 0.79% niobium from 8 metres;
- 1-metre at 1.01% TREO (53% neodymium-praseodymium) from 49 metres; and,
- 1-metre at 0.71% TREO (47% neodymium-praseodymium) and 1.20% niobium from 34 metres.
More drill testing to come in 2023
“With significant drill programs planned for 2023, we are well positioned to continue to build on our discoveries made to date and hopefully add further new discoveries,” Thomas continued.
“We were recently awarded a $200,000 government EIS funding support, and plan to test the very interesting geophysical targets under shallow cover that extend over multiple kilometres mirroring Dreadnought Resources ironstone and carbonatite discoveries at Yin and Sabre.”
“The encouraging results from Lyons 27 open up the northwest area of the tenement, with recent field sampling identifying additional outcropping ironstones along strike.
“There is an exciting pipeline of drill targets for 2023 and we look forward to continuing to prove up the Gascoyne region’s significance as a major Australian REE-producing region alongside Dreadnought and Hastings Technology Metals.”