"So, my guess is that there will be some very comparable grades to WA1 in EAL007's White clay saprolite and maybe the conglomerate andin EAL007's ferruginous weathers carbonate and limonite clays."... good post, but this seems a stretch given white clay indicates a complete lack of iron-oxide and thus different to the supergene saprolite clay host at Luni. The white clay in hole EAl007 looks more like weathering of some sedimentary rock not carbonatite, especially reading the Pebbly conglomerate beneath. Then into a short interval of carb saprock and then fresh carb. Hole EAL008 looks more a match for Luni, but with the full laterite profile preserved and no transported cover. Using Luni as an analogy then, it's the ferruginous and limonitic clays upper to lower saprolite transition that is likely to host supergene Nb mineralisation.
You are absolutely correct that weathering is likely to enrich primary grades between 2-10 times. This requires both decent grades in the primary carb rock (and 0.6% Nb2O5 is decent), and then depends on how it reacts to supergene weathering (ie depleted over thin but very HG clay perhaps related to historical water table level, or less de[pletion but lower enrichment over thicker depths etc).
My point regards the 0.6% Nb in carb dyke was that it's a skinny dyke, in a regional fault zone, which is not necessarily representative of the large carb intrusions east where large tonnages are likely. That dyke may pinch and swell, be faulted out before the surface, who knows.
What hole EAL008 has in store we don;t know, because it's a fact ENR are hiding the handheld XRF results from us. If ENR discover large enough carb pipes with 0,6% Nb in primary risk, it's almost certain that will translate into large tonnes of high grade supergene Nb. Luni has also has lots of carb with very low Nb and very low supergene enrichment drilled around Luni 'central deposit' and pachpadra carb. <50% chance first holes into a large carb will hit any Nb rick pipe in the carb complex, so even if EAL008 doesn't have the goods doesn;t more drilling won;t find the goods.
Regardless of my exploration caution, the 0.6% Nb dyke says this area is also Nb enriched, so the chances of other large carbs int he district also being Nb enriched are greatly increased. Between WA1 two Nb enriched carbs, and now ENR Nb dyke, it's looking like a belt of Nb enriched carbs will be defined eventually. Then it comes down to grade, tonnes and who has how much of each. Will be very interesting if multiple very HG Nb supergene deposits are discovered in the area... just how much new FeNb can the market absorb? And how much will CBMM want to be squeezed out, and at what price? All very interesting in bespoke minor-metals market...
GLTAH
ENR Price at posting:
35.0¢ Sentiment: None Disclosure: Not Held
(20min delay)