Aldoro Resources Ltd (ASX:ARN) has conducted a site visit over the Niobe Project area in a bid to outline the asset’s rubidium footprint over three prospects.
The explorer collected 46 rock chip samples across the Pegmatite East, Pegmatite Southeast Pit and Breakaway prospects to determine the prospectivity for elements like rubidium, caesium, lithium, niobium, tantalum and tin.
As part of its efforts to increase Niobe’s rubidium footprint, Aldoro plans to conduct RC drilling at the Western Australian project in October.
The company used the field trip to peg and check 66 planned drill holes for access, while a preliminary X-ray confirmed the presence of encouraging, historical rubidium values.
ARN’s visit comes just weeks after the company announced Niobe could be a world-class rubidium deposit — indeed, one that may compare to the biggest rubidium deposit in the world.
Field trip
Speaking to the site visit, Aldoro chairman Joshua Letcher said: “I am greatly encouraged that the rubidium values were confirmed and I’m looking forward to seeing the analytical laboratory data from the 46 surface rocks chip samples collected.”
To get a better grasp on the lateral extent of Niobe’s rubidium-bearing pegmatites, the Aldoro team collected nearly 50 rock chips across three pegmatite prospects.
By conducting a preliminary X-ray using a portable XRF machine, Aldoro found that elevated rubidium values are associated with the Zinnwaldite micas, which have a lateral surface extent over Pegmatite East (P2) and Breakaway prospects.
The preliminary X-ray scans also confirmed elevated rubidium values, which were reported as part of the down-hole analytical results based on historical drilling conducted by Pancontinental Mining Limited between 1984 and 1986.
In preparation for the company’s RC drill program, Aldoro also pegged and checked 66 holes for access.
The exploration campaign should kick off at the site next month, pending access clearance.
World-class rubidium potential
In late August, Aldoro doubled down on what it considers to be a world-class rubidium exploration target at Niobe’s main pegmatite (P1).
The target is thought to host between 33,000 and 150,000 tonnes of resource, with grades ranging from 696 to 1457 parts per million rubidium oxide.
Niobe’s rubidium prospect sits within an 80-metre by 65-metre pocket of detailed historical drilling.
Interestingly, this target represents less than half of the Niobe Pegmatite 1, while further exploration is required to establish a potential rubidium mineral resource.
Map shows the rubidium exploration target, mapped pegmatites and proposed areas for drilling.
Letcher said at the time: ”Based on the news of the Mining Association of Guangdong Province of China, a major rubidium deposit called the Tiantangshan rubidium deposit was discovered in Guangdong province in 2019.
“It was reported that the Tiantangshan rubidium deposit, with resources of Rb2O over 100,000 tonnes at the average grade 0.109% Rb2O, is the biggest rubidium deposit in the world.
“On May 8, 2019, the Guangdong Provincial Government made an announcement saying that, as the project will be very profitable, the Provincial Government will invest multi-billion RMB to exploit this rubidium project in the next five years.
“It seems that the potential resources of the Niobe Rubidium Project of Aldoro Resources may be in the same order with the Tiantongshan rubidium deposit with analyses of greater than 1.5% rubidium oxide and is associated with other valuable elements, such as lithium, caesium and tantalum.”