RareX uncovers high-grade heavy rare earths at Mt Mansbridge

• Rare X completes rock chip and soil sampling at Mt Mansbridge 
• Exploration delivers outstanding first pass results highlighting the heavy rare earth potential 
• The company believes the asset has the right ingredients to host a hard rock heavy rare earth deposit 

Special Report: First-phase exploration results are in for RareX’s Mt Mansbridge project in WA’s Kimberley region, including the discovery of multiple heavy rare earth oxide (HREO) occurrences across the asset area. 

This is the first year RareX (ASX:REE) has carried out exploration on the asset, with initial prospecting and soil sampling now completed in high-priority areas. 

The team is targeting the same style of mineralisation found at Northern Minerals (ASX:NTU) Browns Range project – hydrothermal HRE mineralisation in the Paleoproterozoic Tanimi Group basement rocks, situated about 40kms from Mt Mansbridge. 

Exploration is also focusing on unconformity-related HRE mineralisation at the base of the Birrindudu Basin.

So far, the company has uncovered several mineralised veins from 39 rock chips and over 1000 soil samples, with results grading up to 1.7% total rare earth oxide (TREO) with 10% dysprosium-terbium. 

Hydrothermal altered sandstone returned up to 0.7% TREO and 13% dysprosium-terbium while a stand-out high-grade hit of 2.7% TREO with 13% dysprosium-terbium was delivered at the Sigma prospect. 

Boots-on-ground approach 

REE chairman Jeremy Robinson said the boots on the ground approach by the team has led the company to focus on the most likely areas for mineralisation and has delivered some outstanding first pass results that highlight the HRE potential of Mt Mansbridge. 

“Hard rock HRE deposits are among the most difficult deposits to find, and Mt Mansbridge has the right ingredients to host one,” he said. 

“We look forward to delivering further results in the future.” 

Background on Mt Mansbridge 

Heavy rare earth element fertility at Mt Mansbridge was first confirmed in the 1980s through the discovery of a xenotime-bearing quartz vein at Sigma within the basement Killi Killi Formation.

Subsequent explorers conducted rock chipping, soil sampling and spectrometer surveys, with limited exploration success. 

In 2022, Red Mountain Mining drilled six holes at the Sigma prospect, returning a best intersection of 16m at 0.28% TREO, including a higher-grade portion of 4m at 0.48% TREO, with 1m at 1.06% TREO.

The average MREO content was 28%, composed of 10% dysprosium-terbium and 18% NdPr. 

Between 2020 and 2024, RareX locked in 217km2 at Mt Mansbridge, guided by signs at Sigma that heavy rare earth-rich fluids flowed through the area’s ancient basement rocks.

The company believes there’s a strong chance additional mineralised zones are still waiting to be uncovered across the project area. 

This article was developed in collaboration with RareX, 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.