- Norwest Minerals (NWM) reports “significant” rare earth element (REE) mineralisation from a 2050-metre drilling program at its Arunta West project in WA
- The company says four of the 20 reverse circulation (RC) holes struck the Bitter Springs group sediments and returned REE intervals above 1000 parts per million total rare earth oxides
- However, the other 16 holes tested a copper-gold anomaly but returned no significant mineralisation
- Immediate follow-up RC drilling is now cleared to begin, with 22 planned holes to target shallow mineralisation in the Bitter Springs sediments
- This drilling will begin as soon as the wet season finishes around April and May
- Norwest Minerals shares are down 24.24 per cent and trading at 5 cents at 1:18 pm AEDT
Norwest Minerals (NWM) has struck rare earth element (REE) mineralisation from a recent drilling program at its Arunta West project in WA, though it missed copper-gold mineralisation.
The company said four of the 20 reverse circulation (RC) holes completed in the project area struck the Bitter Springs group sediments and returned REE intervals above 1000 parts per million total rare earth oxides.
The REE results include nine metres at 1090 parts per million (ppm) total rare earth oxides, 32 per cent magnetic rare earth oxides, and 20 per cent neodymium plus praseodymium from 18-metres.
However, the other 16 holes tested a copper-gold anomaly but returned no significant mineralisation.
NWM is now planning a 22-hole follow-up program end of the wet season to target further shallow mineralisation in the Bitter Springs sediments
Norwest CEO Charles Schaus said the company was “very excited” about the future of the Arunta West project.
“The Bitter Springs Group sediments have the potential to host a very large REE project along the 90-kilometre granite-sediments contact held by Norwest,” Mr Schaus said.
“Clay-hosted REE mineralisation is relatively cheap and simple to explore, mine and process and does not require the high total rare earth oxide grades necessary for a hard rock operation.”
Norwest says it would target the calculation of a maiden resource estimate upon the completion of its second round of drilling
Norwest’s Arunta West drilling costs are being co-funded up to $180,000 by the Western Australian Government’s Exploration Incentive Scheme.
Norwest Minerals shares were down 24.24 per cent and trading at 5 cents at 1:18 pm AEDT.