source:Aluminiuminsider
ABx Group , a renowned mining company, has begun a drilling program at their Wind Break and Deep Leads – Rubble Mound rare earth element (REE) sites in Northern Tasmania. This initiative follows the receipt of the highest grade rare earth element assays the company has encountered to date.
The initial phase of the drill campaign is taking place at the Wind Break deposit, with the aid of Mineral Resources Tasmania’s Exploration Drilling Grant Initiative, which has provided up to US$70,000 in funding.
Following Wind Break, the focus will shift north to Deep Leads – Rubble Mound. Remarkable concentrations of dysprosium and terbium were discovered here, particularly in hole RM336, which revealed 17,333 ppm total rare earth oxides (TREO). This figure is a significant fourfold increase over ABx Group’s previous high-grade findings.
These exploratory successes are expected to bolster the current Deep Leads – Rubble Mound JORC (2012) Mineral Resource Estimate of 27 million metric tons at 803 ppm TREO.
Mark Cooksey, Managing Director and CEO of ABx, expressed enthusiasm for the project’s progress and gratitude for the Tasmanian government’s financial support. Cooksey affirmed the company’s commitment to extensive exploration in Tasmania and highlighted the cost-effective and environmentally friendly potential of the region’s rare earth deposits.
“ABx continues to build a reputation as a highly active exploration company in Tasmania, with continuous discoveries made throughout the year and now the launch of our next campaign which is anticipated to run until at least the end of 2023.”
The new drilling activities aim to expand the known resources and explore further the potential of the ionic adsorption clay rare earths present at the sites, which may offer low-cost extraction options.