American Rare Earths Ltd (ASX:ARR) has kicked off a nine-hole, 825-metre-long diamond core drilling campaign at its Halleck Creek Rare Earth project site in the US state of Wyoming.
The company estimates that it is looking at a 308-385 million-tonne exploration target, following field sampling and surveying. Samples were collected in 2018 and 2021 which showed high-grade rare earth element (REE) mineralisation.
Low penalty elements – thorium and uranium
The maiden diamond core drilling will determine the regional extent of mineralised depth, with five holes at Overton Mountain and four at Red Mountain.
"This is another exciting time for the team at American Rare Earths with the maiden drilling at Halleck Creek,” managing director Chris Gibbs said.
“Surface samples collected in 2018 and 2021 show high-grade rare-earth element (REE) mineralisation which is rich in neodymium and praseodymium, with low penalty elements of thorium and uranium.
“The Halleck Creek targets will complement the company's La Paz Rare Earth project deposits, targeting praseodymium with ultra-low penalty elements of thorium and uranium in Arizona."
Exploration deep drilling will uncover initial mineralisation, lithology and fresh rock material for additional analysis.
The drill program is expected to wind up in late April 2022, with assay results expected in June.
Exploration thus far
The greater Halleck Creek project, in Albany County, Wyoming, consists of 68 unpatented lode claims, covering 1,265 acres. The company controls six Wyoming State mineral leases in the surrounding area.
Initial surface sampling of the Overton Mountain area was conducted in 2018 by Zenith Minerals, an Australian Mining Company, revealing average total rare earth oxide (TREO) values of 3,297 parts per million (ppm), average heavy rare earth oxide (HREO) values of 244 ppm, and average magnetic rare earth oxide (MREO) values of 816 ppm.
In June and July of 2021, a follow-up surface sampling program was conducted, with the total of 197 samples collected.
The results showed that the Red Mountain Pluton is light rare earth oxide (LREO) dominant, with an average of 2,836 ppm.
Additional geologic mapping was performed across Overton Mountain in October 2021. ARR collected an extra 121 surface samples across Overton Mountain and Red Mountain.
The company is understandably keen to receive the results of these samples to provide further insight and direction for drilling at Halleck Creek.