Stavely Minerals to explore for REE at namesake copper-gold project
Stavely Minerals is now in the final phase of its resource definition drilling program with a maiden resource estimate expected in the second quarter.
Following a review of discovery opportunities, Stavely Minerals (ASX: SVY) will undertake a “significant” new phase of regional exploration across its Stavely copper-gold project including testing for rare earth elements (REE).
During its 2021-2022 field season, Stavely carried out regional exploration across the project, which is in western Victoria.
The regional program included soil auger sampling and aircore drill holes over spacing of 400m by 400m.
Soil augur sampling at the Narrapumelap prospect led to the discovery of REE. This returned up to 0.24% total rare earth oxides plus yttrium.
Commenting on the upcoming campaign, Stavely executive chairperson and managing director Chris Cairns said the company was “very excited”.
“Stavely has evolved a diverse suite of targets ranging from those slated for initial testing to targets, which require follow-up based on previous anomalous results.”
“The new Narrapumelap REE target was unexpected and is at a very early stage of evaluation, but has the potential to evolve into something completely different to our previous and ongoing copper-gold focus.”
Upcoming regional exploration at Stavely
Upcoming exploration at the project will include infill soil auger sampling with 100m by 100m spacing in the immediate vicinity of the previous higher-grade REE samples.
This will broaden to 200m by 200m spacing in other areas of the REE anomalism.
Once Stavely has firmed up coherent REE anomalies, it will undertake aircore drilling to provide a better indication of the content in bedrock ore, which would then be followed by diamond core drilling, if warranted.
The company will also test copper and other polymetallic anomalies at the project where previous exploration identified potential.
These include the Toora Road target where a previous aircore hole uncovered 15m at 1.28 grams per tonne gold, 11g/t silver, 0.26% copper, 0.94% lead and 0.1% zinc.
Follow-up soil, aircore and potential diamond drilling will be undertaken at The Northern Flexure (polymetallic), Junction 1 (copper), S1 and S29 (polymetallic), and Nekeeya (polymetallic) prospects.