Reach’s Wabli Creek rare element project is looking the goods after sampling uncovered very high-grade niobium up to 400m east of the previously mapped pegmatite trend.

While surface alluvial and rock chip sampling represent a very early stage in the exploration process, they nonetheless provide a valuable picture into just what is present.

So with sampling at the new location returning niobium grades of up to 10.3% along with up to 7,082 parts per million (ppm) total rare earth oxides (TREO) about 400m from where previous sampling returned 14.3% niobium, 6.7% tantalum and 3,689ppm TREO, it’s not hard to see why Reach Resources (ASX:RR1) is feeling just a tad bit excited.

After all, the results suggest that it has found a new source of mineralisation that’s either another pegmatite or stacked pegmatite.

To top it off, several rock chip samples returned results enriched in titanium – up to a very high grade of 39%, which when combined with the niobium and REE results, is very much in line with other known niobium sources and this type of mineralisation.

Further backing for this belief comes from preliminary mineralogical analyses identifying the key niobium-bearing mineral to be Columbite, just like WA1 Resources has at its West Arunta project where drilling has defined shallow, high-grade niobium mineralisation (with bonus titanium) over a 1km extent.

Small wonder then that Reach has immediately mobilised a team to conduct an ATV assisted grid sampling program to establish the potential for more niobium/REE pegmatites and estimate the scale of mineralisation at Wabli Creek.

Moving towards drilling

“The identification of more high‐grade niobium and REE on the east side of the creek and up to 400 metres away from our last sampling program indicates we may be looking at an additional source of mineralisation,” chief executive officer Jeremy Bower said.

“The confirmation of columbite as the major niobium mineral at Wabli Creek is exciting news for the Company and clearly distinguishes two key areas of focus moving forward, our Morrissey Hill lithium project and our Wabli Creek niobium/REE element project, both in the Yinnetharra district of WA.

He added that the field team will carry out detailed geochemical soil and additional rock chip sampling over the entire tenement package to give Reach a more complete picture of what it is dealing with at each project and defined areas of focus for upcoming drilling.

The company is also expecting results from soil sampling at the Bonzer pegmatite field within its Morrissey Hill project in the coming weeks.

 

 

 

This article was developed in collaboration with Reach 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.

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