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DY6 Metals identifies high-grade gallium from surface at Tundulu rare earths project in Malawi

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By Imelda Cotton - 
DY6 Metals ASX Gallium Tundulu
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DY6 Metals (ASX: DY6) has identified the presence of high-grade gallium mineralisation from surface at its Tundulu rare earth element (REE) and phosphate project in southern Malawi through a review of historical drilling and trenching results.

Diamond and reverse circulation drilling from 2014 returned 4,901 assays for gallium, with 27.7% of the total containing more than 40 grams per tonne gallium oxide.

DY6 has engaged Perth-based Auralia Metallurgy for preliminary test work on a select bulk sample from Tundulu to determine the deposit’s suitability to produce a separate rare earth and phosphate concentrate.

Highlight assays

An intercept of 74 metres at 93.26g/t gallium oxide and 1.56% TREO (total rare earth oxides) from 72m, including 14m at 202.79g/t gallium oxide from 89m and 310.46g/t gallium oxide and 5.68% TREO from 97m to 98m, is the highest grade so far intersected within the interval.

Other best results were 53m at 72.79g/t gallium oxide and 1.02% TREO from surface including 12m at 145.07g/t gallium oxide from 25m, 30m at 94.63g/t gallium oxide and 4.03% TREO from surface and 41m at 64.98g/t gallium oxide and 1.61% TREO from 67m including 8m at 178.94g/t gallium oxide from 100m.

While some of the elevated responses occur within saprolite clays, others reportedly occur at depth within fresh rock.

Gallium potential

No exploration has ever been conducted on the deeper gallium potential at Tundulu and only 40% of the highly prospective area has ever been drill-tested.

Target areas for further exploration at the site include Nathace Hill and Tundulu Hill.

China overwhelmingly dominates supply raw gallium, with prices surging in recent years on the back of growing demand in the electronics and semiconductor industries.

Project composition

The majority of the historic surface sampling and drilling at Tundulu occurred at a central vent called Nathace Hill, the predominant geology of which is REE apatite-hosted carbonatites and feldspathic breccia and comprises a large inner agglomerate vent.

Mineral-rich carbonatite also occurs at Tundulu Hill east of Nathace and Makhanga Hill to the west, both of which remain unexplored and are prospective for REEs and niobium mineralisation.

DY6 believes REE mineralisation remains open to the southern and western directions of Nathace Hill and potentially extends beyond the boundaries of the mineralised area at Tundulu Hill.