Red Mountain Mining to commence phase two drilling at Mt Mansbridge rare earths project
Red Mountain Mining is drilling for gold and base metals at Mt Maitland, while field work has begun at Mt Mansbridge which is prospective for HREE, nickel-copper-cobalt and PGE.
Junior explorer Red Mountain Mining (ASX: RMX) has contracted an experienced drilling company to carry out a phase two exploration campaign at its Mt Mansbridge heavy rare earth and nickel-cobalt-PGE (platinum group elements) project in Western Australia.
Perth-based Stark Drilling will provide a reverse circulation rig for the program, while Red Mountain has secured all personnel including geologists and field consultants, along with equipment to prepare for the program which is expected to commence this month.
Red Mountain will also undertake a field reconnaissance trip to Mt Mansbridge to reaffirm all targets prior to drilling including the Déjà vu, Solo, Cow Creek and Kylo prospects.
Heritage surveys and earthworks have already been completed for efficient land access.
Non-executive chairman Troy Flannery said the company was “excited to get on the ground” and drill the battery mineral targets to further evaluate the prospectivity of Mt Mansbridge.
Successful quarter
The commencement of phase two drilling follows on from successful exploration work at Mt Mansbridge for the three months period to end March.
In January, prioritised assay results from the Solo prospect confirmed heavy rare earth element enrichment, while petrological analysis identified the presence of minerals xenotime and florencite.
In February, field assessment identified hydrothermal breccias indicative of a large intense fluid system proximal to the northern Killi-Killi-Pargee contact.
Geochemical anomalies associated with coincident magnetic anomalism are underlain by a regional west-northwest to east-southeast structure.
Mr Flannery said potential exists for a sediment-hosted base metal deposit within the sedimentary pile, which will be followed up during this year’s field campaign.
Nannup project
During the March quarter, Red Mountain secured a deal to acquire 100% of the shares in Airdrie Exploration Pty Ltd for a cash consideration of $50,000.
Airdrie is the sole owner of the Nannup project, which is a granted exploration tenement southwest of Greenbushes lithium province.
The project is prospective for lithium and located in the southwest terrane with potential to support a Julimar-style geological system.
Once land access agreements have been granted, Red Mountain will commence an initial exploration program to further identify the lithium, nickel, gold and base metals potential.