Assay results covering all 67 holes at the Centre prospect have been returned with 92% encountering clays. Pic via Getty Images
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Special Report: Phase-3 drilling results at the Splinter Rock rare earth element (REE) project near Esperance, WA have returned grades of up to 6,441ppm total rare earth oxides (TREO), leading OD6 to decide on updating the resource in the new year.
OD6 Metals’ (ASX:OD6) Splinter Rock project contains an inferred resource of 344Mt at 1,208ppm TREO with the Centre prospect representing 149Mt of that at 1,423ppm TREO.
Found in a large clay basin within an elevated tableland, the Centre prospect target area has been defined through previous airborne electromagnetic (AEM) surveys and drilling results, which indicated REEs occur in thick clays that vary between 9-77m with TREO intersections of up to 2,379ppm.
The centre prospect contains a deep clay channel that extends for several kilometres, known as ‘Inside Centre’ at the southern end of the resource where recent Phase 3 aircore drilling returned grades in excess of 1,400ppm TREO.
This latest program of 145 holes for 7,435m has so far returned assays for 67 holes with 92% encountering clays with rare earth concentrations >300ppm TREO and 77% of holes intercepting rare earth concentrations >1,000ppm TREO.
Grades of up to 6,441 ppm TREO were observed in clays with thickness of up to 77m with a high degree of consistency throughout.
OD6 says clays have been confirmed across a 14km strike length at the Centre prospect with widths between 4-5km and high value MREO representing an average of ~23% of TREO grade.
“These assay results are truly exceptional, surpassing our previous outstanding results,” OD6 managing director Brett Hazelden says.
“The extent of the Centre prospect is simply massive, with some of Australia’s thickest high-grade clay hosted REE intercepts at up to 77m at over 1,400ppm TREO, with several zones in excess of 2,000ppm TREO.
“The consistency of mineralisation across such a vast 14km by 5km zone highlights the quality and significance of our discovery.”
Importantly, Hazelden also says the volume and grades in the deep, wide clay channel extensional to the southern end of the resource create the strong potential for substantial resource expansion.
“The geological team of internal and external experts will now start reviewing the current Splinter Rock mineral resource estimate with a view to update this early in the new year,” he says.
This article was developed in collaboration with OD6 Metals, 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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