Power Minerals cheers best-ever rare earth grades at Santa Anna in Brazil

• Power Minerals’ re-assaying achieves record 6.2% TREO at Santa Anna project in Brazil
• Results verify and supersede previous sample results while improving project understanding
• Follow-up drilling and leach testing to determine recovery rates currently underway

Special Report: Power Minerals’ re-assaying of drill samples have returned the highest-grade results – of up to 6.2% total rare earth oxides – ever observed at its Santa Anna niobium-rare earths project in Brazil’s Goiás state.

The company had made the decision to re-assay the samples from historical drilling targeting phosphate mineralisation after its initial assaying exceeded test limits for the method used.

This proved to be a remarkably astute decision from Power Minerals (ASX:PNN) as the new assays from ALS supersede those from SGS in its resource model for Santa Anna.

Notable results that both end in mineralisation include:

• 14m grading 17,944ppm (1.79%) TREO from surface including 5m at 28,516ppm TREO from 1m that hosts the top 1m at 62,027ppm TREO intersection from 4m (MN-AC-0007); and
• 11m at 11,641ppm TREO from surface including 3m at 42,592ppm TREO from 6m and 6m at 30,100ppm TREO from 28m (MN-RC-0009).

These results provide another valuable set of data that adds to the company’s maiden reverse circulation drilling that proved that niobium and REE mineralisation extends deep into the fresh rock below the exceptional near-surface REE-rich clay layer.

“Having re-assayed samples from previous drilling by project vendor EDEM at the Santa Anna Project, we are excited to announce the highest grade REE drilling results to date at the project,” managing director Mena Habib said. 

“The exceptional outcomes of the re-assaying have verified and superseded previous sample results, and importantly have provided us with a deeper understanding of our exploration model for the project – in particular in relation to grade and potential size.”

He adds that with maiden drilling completed and follow-up drilling underway, the company’s confidence in Santa Anna’s resource potential continues to grow.

The company added that besides some standout results, the ALS and SGS assaying for REE were closely aligned, while those for niobium indicate the original SGS values are conservative though the average increase of about 12.9% in the ALS figures are not considered to be material at this stage.

Santa Anna project

The wholly owned Santa Anna project consists of two permits covering 17.05km2.

About 90% of the carbonatite complex remains untested by drilling, though the drilling that has been carried out has been promising to say the least.

Drilling to date has confirmed broad zones of niobium and high-grade REE mineralisation from surface and at depth, alongside exceptionally high gallium grades.

Grades of up to 6.2% TREO containing 26% magnet rare earths have been noted to date.

PNN is currently carrying out follow-up drilling and is conducting leach testing from high-grade REE weathered zones to determine recovery rates. 

This article was developed in collaboration with Power 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.