Encounter Resources Uncovers High-Grade Rare Earth Elements at West Arunta Project

Encounter Resources (ASX: ENR) is confident the southern margin of the Green carbonatite complex is emerging as a highly prospective target zone for high-grade rare earth element (REE) mineralisation at its West Arunta project in Western Australia.

The company has obtained further promising aircore drilling results at Green, intersecting high-grade niobium mineralisation over a one-kilometre strike east of an initial Inferred mineral resource estimate (MRE).

The latest drilling has also defined shallow, high-grade REE mineralisation along the southern margin of the system separate from the known niobium zone, while highlight niobium intersections east of the initial MRE footprint came in at 18 metres at 2.0% from 54m, part of 50m at 0.9% from 54m to end of hole.

Resource Definition Drilling

Encounter’s focus is now on resource definition drilling at Green East, targeting the characterisation of high-grade zones across the deposit.

The company reported an initial inferred niobium MRE in May of 19.2 million tonnes at 1.74% across the Green, Emily, and Crean deposits—with the Green deposit’s 12.1Mt at 1.63% the largest of the three.

It is now looking to identify the potential to expand both the scale and grade of the existing resource.

Alongside the infill program, diamond drilling for metallurgical samples is ongoing, with the diamond rig to test the Scott regional target in November.

High-grade niobium

“Our proven approach of initial broad-spaced (400m) aircore drilling to rapidly outline the mineralised footprint has again delivered high-grade niobium-REE results,” executive chair Will Robinson said.

“As the recent infill results at Green Central have demonstrated, increasing drill density in these systems is often rewarded with thick, high-grade niobium intersections.”

Mr Robinson said the results confirmed that the high-grade REE intersections sit outside of the niobium-dominant zone.

“When we also consider our recent intersection of REE fluorocarbonates at Green central, it indicates a separate zone of REE mineralisation is taking shape near the southern margin of the carbonatite complex,” he added.