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Mamba Exploration confirms wide clay rare earths mineralisation at Hyden project

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By Imelda Cotton - 
Venus Metals Corporation ASX VMC Marvel Loch East rare earth project Western Australia clay-hosted fresh rock REE mineralisation

Venus Metals plans to undertake drilling at its priority REE targets at Marvel Loch East.

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Mamba Exploration (ASX: M24) has confirmed that initial drilling over a previously-identified clay rare earths element (REE) target at the Hyden project in Western Australia has intersected significant widths of mineralisation.

The mineralisation was identified in 20 of a total 22 initial holes completed over the clay target.

Best results were: 54 metres at 758 parts per million total rare earth oxides (TREO) from surface to end of hole; 43m at 877ppm TREO from 8m; 30m at 938ppm TREO from 8m; and 50m at 664ppm TREO from 4m.

Other intercepts included: 30m at 742ppm TREO from surface to end of hole; 26m at 674ppm TREO from 13m to end of hole; 21m at 707ppm TREO from surface to end of hole; and 25m at 932ppm TREO from surface.

Within the wide zones of mineralisation, narrower zones containing higher grades were intersected and included results of: 7m at 1,652ppm TREO from 14m; 22m at 1,073ppm TREO from 12m; 16m at 1,071ppm TREO from 33m; and 9m at 1,129ppm TREO from 23m.

Individual samples grading up to 3,607ppm TREO were also reported.

Mineralisation traced

Mamba managing director Mike Dunbar said the mineralisation could be traced over the entire area covered by initial drilling (500m north-to-south and approximately 500m east-to-west) and remains open in all directions.

“While we are surprised by the width and consistency of the mineralisation, it is also surprising that it is so shallow with little or no surficial cover and can be traced over the entire extent of the drilling,” he said.

“It is also pleasing to report that of the 22 holes completed so far, 14 have ended in significant mineralisation which suggests that there is potential for clay-hosted and bedrock mineralisation in the area,” Mr Dunbar added.

Variable breakdown

Mr Dunbar said the breakdown of the types of mineralisation encountered is highly variable within each of the intervals, with heavy rare earth oxides (HREOs) representing between 8% and 90% and light rare earth oxides (LREOs) between 92% and 10%.

“We are conducting additional analysis to better understand the distribution of the various rare earth oxides within the clay target zone, as the different elements are likely to have very different mineralogy and metallurgical characteristics, representing substantially different values depending on the distribution,” he said.