Perpetual uncovers Brazilian caesium riches; could help ease supply shortages

• Perpetual’s laboratory XRF testing reveals caesium oxide grades of up to 30.11%
• Samples taken from historical pollucite mining reject piles with certified laboratory assays pending
• Assays from maiden drilling at the project expected within two weeks

Special Report: Perpetual Resources’ early laboratory testing has indicated the potential of its Igrejinha project in Brazil’s Lithium Valley to also be a strategically important source of supply-constrained caesium.

Laboratory XRF testing of samples collected from reject piles besides historical artisanal pollucite workings returned caesium oxide grades of up to 30.11%.

While certified laboratory assays, which will provide greater certainty, are currently underway, the results hint that Perpetual Resources’ (ASX:PEC) project could supply the rare metal used in high-technology, defence, and critical infrastructure applications.

Unlike other commodities such as lithium (caesium’s high-unit value), rarity and constrained global supply means that relatively modest tonnages of the metal can represent a strategically and economically significant resource opportunity.

Further exploration will be required to determine the continuity and thickness of mineralised zones, which will be critical in defining the economic potential of the mineralisation.

“These XRF results are compelling and align with historical reports of pollucite production at Igrejinha,” PEC executive chairman Julian Babarczy said.

“With assays pending, we expect they will confirm the presence of very high-grade caesium, though typically at levels somewhat lower than XRF. Igrejinha is shaping up as a highly promising caesium exploration opportunity.”

Igrejinha project overview

Igrejinha is less than 10km from, and in the same geological setting as, globally significant lithium projects such as Sigma Lithium’s low-cost Grota Do Cirilo complex.

The Lithium Valley holds the lion’s share of Brazil’s ~45 hard rock lithium deposits, similar to those mined in WA, and accounts for more than 80% of the country’s known lithium reserves.

Further support comes from the substantial investment and strong government backing for critical minerals projects, including recent moves by major Chinese firms like BYD, which have secured exploration ground and established EV manufacturing facilities.

Besides the laboratory results for the pollucite testing, PEC is also awaiting assays from maiden drilling at Target 1 and the South East Anomaly at the project.

This program was designed to follow up on high-grade surface results and evaluate subsurface mineralisation across multiple priority targets.

Holes have consistently intersected broad zones of pegmatites at the South East Anomaly while geological logging has confirmed the presence of spodumene in at least one hole.

Results from the maiden drilling program are expected in the next two weeks, and will provide critical data on the continuity, thickness, and overall scale of mineralisation at Igrejinha.

The company will then start planning for follow-up exploration, including further targeted drilling at Igrejinha and broader regional exploration across its exploration portfolio in the heart of Brazil’s Lithium Valley.

This article was developed in collaboration with Perpetual Resources, 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.