The 120-hole air core program will test key niobium and other critical mineral and precious metal targets across NWM’s 360km2 West Arunta project. Pic: Getty Images
Mining
Special Report: A 120-hole drilling program will test critical mineral targets at Tamba, Duck and Malibu that were identified by Southern Geoscience consultants earlier this year.
Norwest Minerals (ASX:NWM) is one of a handful of explorers hunting for niobium, a critical mineral used in a wide range of industrial and green energy applications, in WA’s West Arunta region.
Few explorers were able to spend much time and effort in the area given the sheer distance (+3,000km from Perth) and isolation.
WA1 Resources (ASX:WA1) was one of the first movers in the region after it uncovered the mammoth Luni discovery, now a 200Mt deposit – the most significant niobium resource to be found in more than 70 years.
Nearby, NWM is examining two new target zones after analysing a recent gravity study at its own Arunta West project.
It reckons one of the targets, Malibu, has distinct similarities to Luni and is heading back into the field to further delineate targets.
NWM has plans underway to begin drilling its Arunta West project in September with the Malibu and Duck targets earmarked for a helicopter supported Heritage Survey on September 5.
These priority-one targets were identified by Southern Geoscience consultants earlier this year from desktop and ground gravity surveys and align with high-priority geochemical anomalies delineated in 2022.
At Tamba, Norwest has added additional drilling to test a second IOCG anomaly and a gossan outcrop, ~20km southwest of the large Tamba copper-gold anomaly.
Drilling will follow, comprising 120 holes to test for niobium and other critical minerals.
“Selection of these top-shelf critical mineral targets was based on the strong association between structural features, gravity highs and soil geochemistry,” NWM CEO Charles Schaus says.
“The upcoming drill program represents a major milestone in the company’s exploration endeavours to identify niobium, IOCG and other critical mineral resources within our world class West Arunta project ground position.”
This article was developed in collaboration with Norwest 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.
