Power Minerals generates ‘very positive’ results from drilling at South Australian kaolin-halloysite project
Power Minerals anticipates remaining assays from drilling at Eyre Peninsula later this month.
Power Minerals (ASX: PNN) has received what it describes as “very positive” results from drilling at its Eyre Peninsula kaolin-halloysite project in South Australia.
A maiden drilling program was completed at the project in May, which returned elevated rare earth elements (REE) along with the kaolin-halloysite mineralisation.
Initial laboratory assays from the program have confirmed thick intersections of white kaolin mineralisation.
A highlight result was a 24m interval with 45% yield of 90.6% kaolin at 79.4 ISO-B brightness. A 2m interval returned a peak brightness of 81.7 ISO-B from 29m.
Additionally, field pXRF readings have indicated low and constant iron content over the full 24m interval.
“These positive laboratory results for kaolin mineralisation provide Power with strong impetus and direction to conduct near-term follow-up exploration and evaluation studies on its Eyre Peninsula kaolin project,” Power executive director Mena Habib said.
“Importantly, the results support Power’s specialty clay strategy to develop and produce high-margin, value-added products to supply advanced technology applications,” he added.
Ongoing news flow
Power has selected samples for detailed X-Ray Diffraction (XRD) analysis to determine the halloysite content with assays anticipated later this month.
A reconnaissance 128-hole for 4,217m program was completed at the project earlier this year.
The program targeted areas where no previous drilling for kaolin had been completed, but where Power had identified historical references or geophysical characteristics to known deposits.
These assays are from 17 composite samples that confirm kaolin at the Kapinnie prospect.
Results from the remainder of the holes are also expected later this month.
Using the results and field observations, Power will plan an infill drilling program for the project with the aim of firming up a JORC resource.
Reconnaissance drilling will also be undertaken across all of the Eyre Peninsula project licences.
The project comprises three exploration licences spanning 1,413sq km. It is adjacent to Andromeda Metals’ (ASX: ADN) kaolin-halloysite projects on the western side of the Eyre Peninsula.