Northern Minerals Ltd (ASX:NTU) has received the final assays from reverse circulation (RC) drilling at the Dazzler Prospect confirming the high-grade nature of the deposit.
The program of RC drilling was completed in May, with 17 holes for 1143 metres completed at Dazzler and five holes for 300 metres at Iceman.
Dazzler drill hole cross-section. TREO stands for Total Rare Earth Oxide.
The Dazzler and Iceman prospects are part of Northern Minerals’ Browns Range heavy rare earth project in Western Australia.
The company aims to build the Browns Range operation into the first significant world producer of dysprosium outside of China.
Drilling at Dazzler was mostly exploration and extension drilling to the southeast of the deposit, with a further two infill drill holes successfully completed.
The infill drilling at Dazzler returned high-grade results with one hole, BRDR0035, returning the best drilling intersection ever recorded at the Browns Range Project.
Table summarising all the significant drilling results from Dazzler, including results from a newly discovered mineralised zone located 250 metres southeast of Dazzler (Dy2O3 - dysprosium oxide).
The RC drilling to the southeast of Dazzler and northwest of Iceman has highlighted a new mineralised zone, with four drill holes (BRDR0030, 0031, 0032 & 0036) intersecting significant mineralisation.
Plan view of the Dazzler, Iceman and new target area with significant drill intersections
Mineralisation at the new prospect occurs in a similar geological setting as at Dazzler and Iceman, associated with the unconformity between the younger Gardiner Sandstone unit and the underlying, older Browns Range Metamorphics.
These three prospects, all in close proximity and occurring in a similar geological setting, indicate a fertile mineralising system with the potential for further similar discoveries.
Follow-up drilling is planned to commence this month comprising:
- 3,000 metres infill and exploration RC drilling in Dazzler-Iceman area; and
- 1,500 metres exploration RC drilling at four other prospects.
Grades up to ten times the average at Browns Range
Northern Minerals managing director George Bauk said: “We are extremely excited by these wide, high-grade results from Dazzler. The grades in some holes are up to ten times the average at Browns Range.
“With Dazzler representing the first unconformity-hosted target that we tested, we have high hopes for the many prospects that are yet to be assessed.
“High-grade ore feed to the plant has the potential to materially impact the economics of a full-scale development, with higher production rates and lower unit costs.
“We look forward to the next round of drilling at Dazzler and the new targets.”