Aruma Resources Ltd (ASX:AAJ) has completed an initial aircore drilling program at the Salmon Gums Project in the Eastern Goldfields of Western Australia, targeting gold and, for the first time, rare earth element (REE) mineralisation.
The program involved 63 aircore holes in total, with 39 targeting REE mineralisation in first-pass drill testing at the Circle Valley North prospect and the remaining 24 testing for gold mineralisation at the Thistle prospect.
Aruma believes Circle Valley North could hold extensions of recent REE discoveries by Meeka Metals Ltd and OD6 Metals Ltd – MEK’s Circle Valley resource currently sits at 98 million tonnes at 890 parts per million (ppm) total rare earth oxides (TREO).
Effective test of exploration model
“We are excited to have commenced fieldwork for 2024 with aircore drilling at the Salmon Gums Project,” Aruma Resources managing director Glenn Grayson said.
“This reconnaissance drilling program was designed to provide an effective test of our exploration model at the project and investigate the potential clay-hosted REE potential in the southern extent of the project, while also seeking to expand the gold mineralised footprint.
“Subject to results, we will look to develop the Thistle gold prospect with further targeted exploration and continue progress on the Circle Valley North REE target.”
Aruma intends to release the assays from the aircore program conducted by drilling contractors K-Drill as soon as they become available.
The Salmon Gums Project is a high-grade gold exploration project 30 kilometres south and along strike, in the same stratigraphy, as Pantoro Ltd’s high-grade Scotia Gold Project.