Emerging critical metals explorer Reach Resources has uncovered more high-grade niobium from surface sampling at its Wabli Creek project in Western Australia’s Gascoyne region, with a duo of specimens returning 10.3 per cent and 2.6 per cent niobium oxide.
The company’s latest rock-chip and eluvial samples were collected up to 400m to the east of recent sampling which targeted a 1.5km-long mapped pegmatite that returned 14.3 per cent niobium oxide. That find sent its share price flying earlier this month, doubling from 0.6 cents to an intraday high of 1.2c.
It is worth noting grab samples of surface eluvium may not reflect the average in‐situ grade of the host pegmatite. However, Reach is quick to point out the type of confirmed mineralisation at Wabli Creek is rare and presents a unique exploration opportunity.
The company says its latest results allude to the presence of a stacked pegmatite swarm, which displays the hallmark geochemical signature of a rare-element, niobium-yttrium-fluorine (NYF) hard-rock pegmatite source.
Additionally, anomalous rare earths were returned along the 1.5km outcropping pegmatite, peaking at 7082 parts per million total rare earths oxide (TREO), with a further sample kicking in 39 per cent titanium oxide.
Management says the combination of high-grade titanium in conjunction with niobium and rare earths is consistent with other known niobium sources. Mineralogical analysis of select samples from Wabli Creek by Intertek Laboratory confirmed columbite as the source of high-grade niobium, a known niobium oxide ore source along with pyrochlore.
Columbite was also the dominant niobium mineral confirmed in results earlier this month by WA1 Resources, which has emerged recently as an ASX market darling among punters.
Reach Resources chief executive officer Jeremy Bower said: “The identification of more high-grade niobium and REE on the east side of the creek and up to 400 metres away from our last sampling program indicates we may be looking at an additional source of mineralisation. The confirmation of columbite as the major niobium mineral at Wabli Creek is exciting news for the Company and clearly distinguishes two key areas of focus moving forward, our Morrissey Hill Lithium project and our Wabli Creek niobium/REE element project, both in the Yinnetharra district of WA.”
The company is working overtime on its potential new niobium discovery, mobilising a field crew to Wabli Creek to conduct an extensive soi- sampling survey over the area. Up to 4500 samples are set for collection from a systematic grid covering the mapped pegmatites, designed to etch out the mineralised envelope and vector the rig towards the bedrock source.
Drill testing of key targets is planned for the next quarter, subject to regulatory approvals. Further field mapping of the niobium-tantalum-rare earths mineralisation along strike is also underway.
Nearby, Reach recently announced that samples from its Bonzer prospect, which forms part of its Morrissey Hill project, returned a string of significant lithium results, with one assay tipping the scales at 2.3 per cent lithium oxide, in addition to 4295ppm caesium, 705.8ppm tantalum oxide and 7978ppm rubidium.
Its strategic Morrissey Hill tenure sits in the heart of the Gascoyne and is bounded by Delta Lithium’s Yinnetharra project. Delta is in the thick of a 90,000-metre drilling blitz through a pegmatite swarm at its Malinda prospect that stretches more than 1.6km of strike and extends in widths of up to 1km. It recently pulled up an impressive 33m averaging 1.9 per cent lithium oxide.
With two critical metal projects in WA’s emerging mineral hotspot showing early signs of significant mineralisation and boots actively on ground, Reach could be hot on the tail of more than one significant new discovery destined to meet the insatiable demands of a greening economy.
Is your ASX-listed company doing something interesting? Contact: matt.birney@businessnews.com.au
By Helen Barling
