Impact Minerals Limited (ASX: IPT) has announced significant high-tenor rare earth element (REE) results from recent soil geochemistry surveys at Impact’s wholly-owned Arkun project in Western Australia.
Rare earth element anomalisms of up to 5,880 ppm (0.59%) total rare earth oxide and yttrium (TREO + Y) and neodymium + praseodymium of up to 21% have been returned from soil sampling from the newly identified Hyperion prospect in the northwestern part of the project area.
These are some of the highest TREO-in-soil results reported recently in Western Australia, with the new anomaly covering at least 3km2 at greater than 1,000ppm TREO and is open along strike to the northwest and southeast.
“The discovery of the Hyperion Prospect is a significant breakthrough in exploring the Arkun Project, which has so far focused on nickel, platinum, and copper. Impact’s exploration strategy recognizes that the Corrigin Tectonic Zone has potential for various commodities, including rare earth elements (REEs), and the Hyperion Prospect could host a large REE deposit in the clays developed in weathered granite,” commented Impact managing director, Dr Mike Jones.
“However, the key to an economic discovery is to evaluate how easily the REEs can be extracted through simple acid leaching. For this purpose, initial drill testing and bulk sampling for metallurgical test work will be conducted in the upcoming field season.”
The soil anomaly is developed in weathered granite and is a prime target for a large clay hosted REE deposit. The granite covers a further area of about 170 km2 which has yet to be explored.
Another new prospect, Swordfish, and the previously identified Horseshoe prospect attest to the significant prospectivity for REE mineralization across the Arkun project. A further anomaly with up to 1,783 ppm TREO+Y has also been identified at Swordfish. 10km southeast of Hyperion.
Early drilling and bulk sampling for metallurgical test work is planned for the next two quarters.
These new anomalies add to the previously reported significant and large, 10km long REE anomaly at the Horseshoe Prospect located 25km east of Hyperion and emphasize the significant exploration potential for REE at the Arkun project.
For further information, please visit: www.impactminerals.com.au
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