Australian Mines sambas into Phase 2 exploration at its Brazilian projects

Phase 2 exploration begins at the Jequie niobium REE and Resende lithium projects in Brazil
Exploration to target 30km x 2.5km thorium anomaly at Jequie
Drill targets to be identified at Resende with a stream sediment sampling program

Special Report: Australian Mines has kicked off Phase 2 exploration at its Brazilian critical minerals projects to identify additional priority targets ahead of an expected drill program.

Australian Mines’ (ASX:AUZ) Jequie project is in Brazil’s Bahia state – a government-friendly jurisdiction with several large-scale mining operations in the vicinity and adjacent to the Gina Rinehart-backed Brazilian Rare Earths’ (ASX:BRE) 510Mt Rocha de Rocha REE project.

The company expects Jequie to benefit from the associated infrastructure in terms of sealed roads, access to clean hydropower and a major deep-water port less than 200km away.

AUZ’s lithium project in the Minas Gerais state, Resende, is just 17km east of AMG Lithium’s Mibra spodumene mine – one of the longest-running in the world as it has been in operation since 1945.

Phase 2 kicks off

Exploration activities at Jequie will aim to progress a 30km x 2.5km airborne radiometric thorium anomaly prospective for ionic adsorption REE deposits to a drill-ready stage.

Additionally, newly identified desktop targets within Jequie and tenements not previously reviewed will be ground-truthed to identify additional targets for follow-up.

AUZ managing director Andrew Nesbitt says that, to date, a very limited portion of 826km2 within the Jequie project has even been looked at.

“This programme has the potential to identify additional priority targets and we are very encouraged about the target previously announced and look forward to developing this target further while waiting for the sample assay results,” he says.

At Resende, a stream sediment sampling program will be completed to identify additional targets for follow-up.