RareX Identifies New Mineralised Veins in First Exploration Phase at Mt Mansbridge HRE Project

RareX (ASX: REE) has located multiple mineralised veins grading up to 1.7% total rare earth oxides (TREO) in the first phase of exploration at its Mt Mansbridge heavy rare earths project in Western Australia.

The company collected 39 rock chip samples and more than 1,000 soil samples from high-priority areas including the Sigma prospect.

The program identified three newly-mineralised areas with best assays of 1.7% TREO, 78% HREO (heavy rare earth oxides) and 10% dysprosium-terbium; 0.7% TREO, 91% HREO and 13% dysprosium-terbium; and 0.2% TREO, 78% HREO and 9% dysprosium-terbium.

Significant HRE Concentrations

The first area was an intermittently outcropping hematitic quartz vein traced across 250 metres of strike and containing significant concentrations of heavy rare earths (HRE) and no anomalism.

The second contained two hematite-altered sandstone patches, each 0.5m in diameter with no anomalism recorded, while the third area was a discrete patch of hematitic quartz breccia float, believed to be most likely from a buried subcrop.

Historical drilling at the Sigma prospect intersected HRE mineralisation at depth including 16m at 0.28% TREO from 77m, with a stronger mineralised zone of 4m at 0.48% TREO from 87m including 1m at 1.06%.

There have not been any significant high-grade TREO assays at surface to indicate that the mineralisation outcrops.

Extension Sampling Program

Extension soil sampling also confirmed the presence of a HRE unconformity target in the Killi Killi Formation on the slopes of Mt Mansbridge.

RareX detected a coincident yttrium-dysprosium-uranium anomaly on both sides of the ridge, suggesting the HRE anomalism extends 400m from the southern side to the northern side of the project area.

Weak light rare earth elements were also present, indicating the source is likely a HRE mineral such as xenotime.

Hydrothermal Mineralisation

Exploration at Mt Mansbridge is targeting the same style of hydrothermal HRE mineralisation found at the Browns Range project owned by Northern Minerals (ASX: NTU), as well as unconformity-related HRE mineralisation at the base of the Birrindudu Basin.

Chair Jeremy Robinson said the first year of exploration on the project had been a productive one.

“The boots on the ground approach by our exploration team has resulted in the discovery of multiple HREO occurrences and delivered some outstanding first pass results that highlight the HRE potential at Mt Mansbridge,” he said.

“Hard rock HRE deposits are among the most difficult to find and we believe Mt Mansbridge has the right ingredients to host one.”