Meeka Gold Ltd (ASX:MEK) has revealed broad zones of new high-grade rare earth element (REE) mineralisation at Circle Valley Project in the Albany-Fraser Orogen of Western Australia.
A systematic analysis of drill samples from both 2021 and 2022 drilling campaigns that were previously tested for gold has revealed iconic clay absorption style REE mineralisation, within an approximate area of 7 kilometres by 5 kilometres.
High grade intersections of total rare earth oxides (TREO) in parts per million (ppm) include:
- 4 metres at 1,269ppm TREO within 12 metres at 715ppm from 8 metres;
- 16 metres at 1,098ppm TREO within 36 metres at 672ppm from 12 metres;
- 4 metres at 937ppm TREO within 12 metres at 638ppm from 12 metres;
- 16 metres at 803ppm TREO within 23 metres at 582ppm from 12 metres; and
- 8 metres at 821ppm TREO within 15 metres at 606ppm from 28 metres.
These results contained an average 20% of neodymium-praseodymium within the TREO grades reported.
Data will form basis for REE exploration
“Now we have received results for approximately 1,200 metres of the total 15,100 metres drilled at Circle Valley over the previous two field seasons it is apparent there is an opportunity in the exploration for ionic adsorption clay REE style mineralisation here,” Meeka Gold CEO Tim Davidson said.
“The tenure appears to be covered by a thick blanket of saprolitic clay, which as demonstrated by these results are proving to be a highly prospective horizon for the concentration of REE mineralisation.”
Lithology logs from previous drilling have shown the prospective saprolite clay horizon blankets an area of about 10 kilometres by 5 kilometres, remaining open to the east.
“As we systematically analyse the remaining 13,900 metres of drill samples for REE, we will overlay the results on the detailed lithology and regolith profile we now have of the tenure, along with the aeromagnetic and airborne EM (electromagnetic) data, to develop a targeting strategy,” Davidson continued.
“This will form the basis of ongoing fieldwork specifically targeting REE style mineralisation at Circle Valley later this year.”
Meeka is still awaiting some 13,000 metres of reassess assays from Circle Valley, expected to be released periodically over the coming months.
About Meeka Gold
Meeka Gold is a junior gold explorer with a portfolio of exploration projects across Western Australia.
The flagship Murchison Gold Project has a combined 343 square kilometre landholding in the prolific Murchison Gold Fields of Western Australia and hosts a large, high-grade 1.1-million-ounce mineral resource.
The company also owns the Circle Valley Project and the Cascade Rare Earth Element Project, both within the Albany-Fraser Orogen in southern Western Australia.