• Latest diamond drill assays have intersected up to 2.72% TREO, up to 32% NdPr in TREO
  • The results validate the interpretation that Pomme carbonatite “contains a very large mineralised system”
  • More assays were pending at time of writing
  • Pomme has similar geology to neighbour Geomega Resources’ world-class Montviel REE carbonatite deposit

 

Diamond drilling results up to 2.27% TREO from MTM Critical Minerals’ Pomme REE-niobium project in Québec, Canada, confirms it could be a very large carbonatite-hosted mineralised system with high percentages of magnetic rare earths.

With only about 600 of such occurrences known worldwide, carbonatites are rare, high-grade hard rock deposits which are a primary source of REEs and niobium.

The carbonatite intrusion at MTM Critical Metals’ (ASX:MTM) Pomme has similar geology to the nearby Geomega Resources’ world-class Montviel deposit, which has a resource of 266Mt @ 1.45% TREO and 0.14% niobium (Nb).

MTM says Pomme increasingly has the potential to contain an “economic resource of some scale”, for magnetic rare earths and niobium which are highly sought-after for use in batteries and advanced technologies.

The company said last month that its exploration strategy was to discover zones of ~1.5% or greater TREO and the latest assays have shown that once more, topping the previous highest-grade hit of 1.62% TREO.

 

Second lot of diamond drilling further confirms broad mineralisation

The company has now hit further significant total rare earth oxides (TREO) mineralisation up to 2.72% and 32% neodymium and praseodymium (NdPr) in TREO from its ~5,700m, 13-hole diamond drilling campaign.

These hits over broad intervals come from previously untested areas of Pomme’s carbonatite complex.

Hole POM-23-04 showed 266m @ 0.22% TREO and 0.06% niobium from 36m, including 39.5m @ 0.46% TREO and 0.05% niobium from 79m, including, 4.25m @ 0.88% TREO and 0.07% niobium.

Hole POM-23-05 intersected 276m @ 0.37% TREO and 0.08% niobium, with a best interval of 3.4m @ 1.99% TREO and 0.02% niobium.

This hole tested the southern central part of the carbonatite complex and continuous mineralisation was intersected from 225m downhole to the end of hole at a depth of 501m.

MTM says the content of high-value magnet rare earths was “particularly high”, with NdPr values of up to 32% in the TREO grade.

 

MTM Critical Metals ASX MTM
Drill results and locations of drill holes into Pomme’s carbonatite geology. Pic supplied: (MTM)

 

MTM MD Lachlan Reynolds says the latest two holes further validated the company’s interpretation that the Pomme carbonatite contains a very large mineralised system.

“These new assay results are from previously untested parts of the Pomme carbonatite complex and confirm that abundant rare earth element and niobium mineralisation is widespread,” Reynolds says.

“Like previously reported results, these drill holes intersected significant higher-grade zones of rare earth mineralisation and contained consistently elevated percentages of NdPr.

“We are starting see how the geology of the carbonatite controls the distribution of mineralisation and this will be an integral part of our follow-up to test priority areas.

“Pomme is considered to have the geological potential to host a resource of significant scale.”

 

 

This article was developed in collaboration with MTM Critical Minerals, 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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