Cyclone Metals will soon kick off a rare earths gravity survey in the Yalardy area in WA, where an interesting anomaly has caught its eye.  

Cyclone’s (ASX:CLE) plan for a detailed gravity survey will focus on the Sebastian gravity anomaly, which sits on one of the two tenements held in the Yalardy area east of Shark Bay.

The company believes the anomaly could represent the top of a geological intrusion, feasibly related to a carbonatite – the type of rock which can contain considerable accumulations of rare earth elements (REEs), base metals and minerals such as iron, titanium in vanadium.

Cyclone
The location of the Yalardy exploration licences. Pic: Supplied.

Carbonatites similar to those at Lynas Corporation’s (ASX:LYC) world-class Mt Weld rare earths deposit near Laverton are considered prospective for copper, gold and REEs.

The gravity survey will provide information about the densities of rocks beneath the surface at the project, with carbonatites likely to be more dense than the surrounding rocks.

For Cyclone, that would mean a gravity response at surface.

The results of the survey will be used to evaluate a suitable future drilling program plan for the tenements in the Yalardy area.

Cyclone said a comprehensive, licence-wide regional geochemical survey was also being designed, with REEs, mineral sands and gold the principal objectives.

The gravity survey will begin before the end of the month, while the geochemical survey is planned to start at the beginning of November.

Geochemical sampling over the project area carried out last year identified two REE anomalies at the project – including the Sebastian anomaly about to be tested.

Cyclone was granted the exploration licences for the Yalardy project in May of this year.

Timing ripe for rare earths

Rare earth elements have made international news in recent times thanks to their importance to the magnets and technologies expected to drive the world toward a greener future.

As the name suggests, the term refers to more than one mineral – more on that topic can be found here.

The minerals have been identified across Australia, the US and the EU as critically and strategically important. More than 85 per cent of the world’s supply currently comes from China, according to US think tank the Center for Strategic and International Studies.

That being the case, and with rare earths a critical component of the electric vehicles and wind turbines required for a green future, price forecasts are looking particularly strong.

A good time to be exploring for REEs.

 

 

This article was developed in collaboration with Cyclone Metals, a Stockhead advertiser at the time of publishing.

 

This article does not constitute financial product advice. You should consider obtaining independent advice before making any financial decisions.

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