Miramar Resources Ltd (ASX:M2R) has identified a number of large rare earth element (REE) targets in magnetic and radiometric surveying over the Dooley Downs Project in the Gascoyne region of Western Australia.
The surveys highlighted a strike of 35 kilometres in length, host to several large magnetic and/or radiometric anomalies with the potential for multiple unmapped intrusions, including carbonatites prospective for REEs.
Miramar has identified a high-priority target along this 35-kilometre strike, dubbed the Eden Bore target, thought to have the “classic” carbonatite signature of a central magnetic low, coincident with a radioactive uranium and/or thorium anomaly.
Multi-commodity potential
Miramar Resources executive chair Allan Kelly said the results of the survey highlighted the multi-commodity potential of the company’s strategic Bangemall Project tenements.
“When we targeted the Bangemall region in 2019, the area was poorly explored and only sporadically pegged,” he said.
“Our initial target was nickel, copper and PGE mineralisation associated with Proterozoic dolerite dykes but we were always alert to the potential for other styles of mineralisation, including gold and rare earths, and designed our exploration programs to include discovery of these other deposit types.
“The last 12 to 18 months have seen extensive tenement pegging and new REE discoveries by some of our neighbours.
“We have many of the same indicators at Dooley Downs and plan to develop these targets further over coming months.”
Further work
Miramar is planning to conduct further work at Dooley Downs in 2023, including more detailed ground geophysics and/or geochemical surveys with the aim of defining drill targets for testing.
Given the high-quality data produced from this survey, Miramar plans to fly similar detailed magnetic and radiometric surveys over its other Bangemall Project tenements once granted.
The company is also planning mapping and sampling over the Mount Vernon target during 2023, with the aim of identifying nickel-copper-platinum group element mineralisation associated with Proterozoic dolerite dykes and sills.