Impact collects grab bag of WA rare earths

Impact Minerals’ maiden soil sampling program has pleasantly surprised with a grab bag of noteworthy rare earth element targets emerging across the Arkun project in southwest Western Australia. The soil anomalies occur over hundreds of metres and have snagged both light and heavy rare earths in an area that has never previously been explored for the precious metals.

The company’s 100 per cent owned Arkun project is nestled approximately 150 kilometres east of Perth and is made up of 1,900 square kilometres of the emerging mineral province of southwest Western Australia.

The discovery of elevated rare earths and rubidium in soil anomalies in the Arkun area comes as a surprise to the company that was targeting nickel, copper, platinum group element and lithium mineralisation. Elevated rare earths encountered include the highly valued neodymium, praseodymium, dysprosium, terbium, ytterbium, cerium and lanthanum.

Follow up field checks and rock chip sampling around the Arkun project area is currently in progress with further, more detailed soil geochemistry targets possibly emerging as a result. A ground geophysical survey will also be considered with land access negotiations to commence as soon as practicable.

Previous soil sampling work at Arkun by Impact identified 17 initial targets across a suite of minerals including nickel, copper and platinum group metals. The initial soil sampling campaign was designed at 100 metre spacings. Of the initial 17 targets that were tested, six high priority targets in the central area have now emerged that the light rare earths and the more valuable heavy rare earths

In addition to the discovery of rare earths, numerous stand out rubidium anomalies have popped up with four high priority targets materialising from soil sampling efforts.

Impact staked the Arkun tenements following the recent significant platinum group element discovery at Julimar by Chalice Mining that lies just 75km northeast of Perth. Impact now has one of the largest landholdings in the region.

The company said magnetic data interpretation has identified a 500km by 30km “mobile belt” that cuts through the Arkun project area. The mobile belt signifies a possible ancient terrane boundary or a proto-craton margin that are both well known as prospective terranes for hosting major nickel, copper and platinum group element deposits according to the company. Examples of similar geological structures include the Nova-Bollinger, Mawson and the Thomson fold belt in Canada in addition to the recent discoveries at Yarawindah and Julimar in WA.

Impact Minerals’ Managing Director, Dr Mike Jones said: “Although we were not exploring for these commodities, one of Impact’s key target generation philosophies is to acquire large strategic ground holdings in prospective regions and so it is not surprising that sometimes you might just find what you weren’t looking for”.

“Although we do not yet know the true significance of the soil results, follow up work is definitely warranted and we will do that as part of the follow up work on our recently identified targets for nickel- copper-PGM’s and LCT pegmatites in the same area. The extensive areas over which the REE and rubidium occur suggest that drill targets may emerge with further work”.

Intriguingly, Anglo American lodged exploration license applications covering some 10,130 square kilometres surrounding the Arkun project a few hours after Impact made its first announcement on Arkun in 2020.

With a major mining juggernaut amassing ground all around the Arkun project and plenty of exciting REE sniffs sprouting from tenure that is practically unexplored for REE’s, things could get interesting quickly for Impact Minerals as the world clamours for critical metals.

Is your ASX-listed company doing something interesting? Contact: matt.birney@businessnews.com.au