This work program is now being assisted by Dr.
This scenario is especially applicable where the weathered regolith profile is in-situ and not covered by transported overburden. This is the case at Mt Cattlin, where the elevated thorium values occur in gently sloping land immediately west of the Ravensthorpe Fault. This is in contrast with the previously reported TREO anomalies in the centre of the project area, which appear to be structurally controlled (3). The thorium anomaly is an additional target to the TREO targets and significantly increases the scale of REE prospectivity at Mt Cattlin (Figure 2).
Further evaluation of the project data in addition to sampling of old drill holes for REE elements is currently underway. The locations previously observed to have fenite alteration, which is characteristic of the presence of REE-bearing carbonatite intrusives, is also being re-investigated (see images below).
The new thorium anomaly area will be tested alongside the TREO anomalies, with air-core drilling to be conducted to the base of weathering. At this stage, it is not known whether the rare earths in the regolith are readily leachable or locked within resistant phases such as zircon or monazite. Future work will require desorption tests if rare earth elements are found to have accumulated within clay-rich horizons such as found elsewhere in established Ionic Adsorption Deposits (IAD). The underlying bedrock potential for REE elements associated with alkali intrusives and carbonatites can be assessed concurrently via the re-sampling of old drill-holes and the drilling of two deep drill holes planned to test the buried intrusives. These deep holes will be the first to test the core of the multi-phase, strongly hydrothermally intrusive complex that is believed to host all mineralisation at Mt Cattli
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