Hastings Rare Metals (ASX:HAS) has received rock chip assays that exceeded expectations from its Levon and Haig rare earth prospects in western Australia.
Grades in line with those achieved in the June 2013 program, however indications are that both prospects are larger than the 2013 predictions.
Results from Levon indicate that the direct correlation between thorium radiometrics and total rare earths oxides content that exists at the nearby Niobium Tuff deposit does not hold true at Levon.
Significantly, a number of samples with lower scintillometer readings have returned encouraging assay grades, and the program also identified a new Western Zone that had not been tested previously.
Based on the 12 surface samples collected during the recent program, this Western Zone returned an average of 1900ppm TREO including 656ppm HREO.
The Levon prospect, now including the Western Zone, is much broader than previously predicted, and both zones remain open along strike to north and south.
Although both Levon and Haig have modest TREO grades, they both host HREO grades that are comparable to numerous other rare earths projects that are currently being evaluated worldwide.
Based on the results to date, the Company is proposing to undertake a limited reverse circulation drilling program on both prospects.
This will occur at the same time as undertaking its initial drilling program at the Southern Extension prospect to the south of the current JORC resources associated with the Niobium Tuff.
Drilling at each of the three targets will provide the first indications of the potential in the third dimension and will provide samples for preliminary metallurgical testwork.
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