DY6 Metals Confirms High-Purity Rutile at Central Rutile Project in Cameroon
DY6 Metals (ASX: DY6) has confirmed premium-grade natural rutile from the Bounde and Nganda licences at its Central Rutile project in Cameroon.
Laboratory analysis returned titanium dioxide (TiO2) grades of up to 97.46% with an average of 95.64%.
The results also revealed exceptionally low impurity levels, supporting the project’s potential to deliver a high-value mineral product.
Laboratory Results Validate Premium Quality
The results are from selective grab samples of oversize rutile nuggets DY6 collected from a wide distribution area covering about 100 square kilometres.
Each sample contained six to 12 nuggets, with ALS Laboratories in Perth and Scientific Services in Cape Town performing the assay tests.
Average TiO2 grades exceeded 95%, and chromium, zirconium, aluminium and iron were all present in minimal concentrations.
DY6 said the results are consistent with premium rutile classifications used in the global pigment and titanium metal markets.
The company noted that it would also use this dataset to calibrate its portable XRF analyser for reliable in-field geochemical analysis.
Supporting Exploration and Field Decisions
The calibrated pXRF unit will allow rapid and accurate analysis during field programs and within DY6’s planned laboratory facility in Yaoundé.
Chief executive officer Cliff Fitzhenry said this will enable low-cost, real-time decision-making to optimise exploration efficiency.
He added that the purity and low impurity profile of the rutile supports strong market positioning for future supply contracts.
The company is awaiting laboratory assays and mineral assemblage data from its May–June reconnaissance program to further inform exploration plans.
Geological Context and Regional Significance
The Central Rutile Project spans 5,901 square kilometres across 14 granted exploration permits in a developing rutile province.
Primary rutile mineralisation originates from kyanite-bearing mica schist bedrock, weathered and concentrated into near-surface saprolite horizons.
This style of mineralisation is directly comparable to Sovereign Metals’ Kasiya deposit in Malawi, which hosts the world’s largest primary rutile resource.
Historical artisanal mining in the region produced about 15,000 tonnes of rutile grading over 95% between 1935 and 1955.
DY6 said the project’s scale and mineral quality highlight its potential to contribute meaningfully to global rutile supply.
Systematic Resource Definition
Reconnaissance auger drilling and regional soil sampling programs are under way to identify broader mineralisation patterns.
Results from these programs, which DY6 expects later this month, will provide an initial dataset on grade distribution across the licences.
The company plans to integrate new assays with existing geological interpretations to refine exploration targeting.
Follow-up work will include denser auger drilling and bulk sampling to assess potential processing performance.
DY6 emphasised that while the current results are promising, they are from selective sampling and not yet representative of the overall project resource.