Three large-scale, priority geophysical drill targets have been defined at the Aileron copper-REE project in the West Arunta with drilling set to begin in April.

According to Encounter Resources (ASX:ENR) managing director Will Robinson the Crean, Worsley, and Caird targets boast similar features to OZ Minerals’ (ASX:OZL) Prominent Hill copper-gold deposit and the mineralised carbonatites recently discovered by WA1 Resources (ASX:WA1) in the West Arunta region in WA.

All three anomalies were identified during major gravity, magnetics, and radiometric surveys during 2021, and 2022, paving the way for diamond drilling.

The ‘Caird’ target is a bullseye, coincident magnetic and density anomaly on the Endurance fault, about 5km northwest of WA1’s recent Luni discovery, while Crean is more of a regional-scale magnetic anomaly with an offset gravity anomaly similar to Prominent Hill.

Worsley, on the other hand, is the region’s standout magnetic and coincident gravity anomaly with anomalous copper, gold, molybdenum, niobium, and rare earth elements up to 0.08%.

‘Exceptional’ targets in an underexplored province

“The Crean, Worsley and Caird targets are exceptional, large-scale magnetic and gravity anomalies in an unexplored emerging critical minerals province,” Robinson says.

“These drill targets have been modelled as sub-vertical features at explorable depth and will be the focus of upcoming drilling in April.”

Upcoming activity

In addition to the diamond drilling a track will be established to the Shackleton target located ~12km west of Caird.

Shackleton is a gravity anomaly over which no outcrop was identified during geological reconnaissance.

In the northern part of Shackleton there is a low-lying quartzite outcrop, containing iron alteration where a single reconnaissance rock chip sample of the iron rich material returned 0.5% REE.

Geological mapping and systematic geochemical sampling are planned at Shackleton in April-June 2023.

A 3,300-line km airborne Falcon gravity survey will also be completed in May 2023 to extend detailed gravity over the entire project.

This 300m spaced survey will be a fundamental dataset for the targeting of IOCG and carbonatite hosted REE deposits in the West Arunta.

 

 

 

This article was developed in collaboration with Encounter Resources (ASX:ENR), 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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