Eclipse Metals gets green light for planned exploration at Greenland projects
Eclipse is about to mobilise contractors to begin drilling at the Grønnedal REE prospect.
Eclipse Metals (ASX: EPM) has received approval from Greenland’s Minerals Licenses and Safety Authority (MLSA) for planned exploration activities at the Ivittuut multi-commodity project during the 2022 field season.
The company has previously undertaken an assessment of ground conditions at Ivigtût and Grønnedal and identified targets for percussion and diamond drilling in the area.
It is now preparing to mobilise contractors to begin drilling for rare earth element (REE) mineralisation at Grønnedal.
Social and environmental impact assessments are also underway in anticipation of post-season work programs.
Understanding the geochemistry
Eclipse said the primary objective of its upcoming field work was to facilitate a better understanding of the geochemistry of the identified target areas and gather data on REE levels in the Grønnedal carbonatite and related geology.
Surface samples collected during a previous site visit to Grønnedal have been sent to St Andrews University for technical analysis.
The company also plans to complete geological mapping and sampling at the historic Ivittuut mine and further assess existing drill core to delineate the large, high-quality quartz body located under the existing pit floor.
Ivittuut targets
In June, Eclipse confirmed it had identified new targets at Ivittuut through Sentinel-2 satellite imagery analysis.
The technique aimed to remotely-sense surface features relating to geology and mineralisation over the entire project area.
The analysis identified numerous spectral anomalies indicative of hydrothermal alteration associated with iron oxides, sulphides and clays.
Grønnedal anomalies
Strong coincident jarosite-goethite-kaolinite index anomalies were also identified over dolerite and basalt dykes cutting the Grønnedal complex.
The magnetic bodies measure up to 2,700 metres in length and 1,000m width, and extend more than 900m below the surface.
They are believed to be among the highest amplitude and vertically-extensive magnetic bodies identified by Eclipse in three-dimensional inversion modelling of airborne magnetic data at the target.
The strongest magnetic anomalism observed in the southern central part of Grønnedal coincides with areas where grab samples of magnetite-bearing carbonatite and carbonatite breccia previously collected by Eclipse returned a total REE content of up to 34,468 parts per million.