White Cliff Minerals has returned its highest-grade rare earths results to date at its Yinnetharra project with a high of 3912 parts per million total rare earth oxides. The company is aiming to close in on multiple thorium anomalies that are associated with magnetic rare earths. However as yet sampling results have not tested the numerous rare earths targets generated from detailed geophysical surveys at its Yinnetharra lithium and rare earths project in the Gascoyne region of WA.
The company also believes that lithium results up to 400 parts per million in the northwest of the project indicate the company is getting closer to lithium bearing pegmatites. The sampling was conducted before the recent geophysical surveys and indicate higher results closer to the thorium anomalies.
Thorium is an important element in rare earths ores, especially in the mineral monazite. Thorium anomalies with coincident ironstone are viewed as pointers to rare earths bearing carbonatite mineralisation including at the nearby Yangibana project.
Yangibana is located 85km north of White Cliff’s Yinnetharra project and is owned by Hastings Technology Metals. It has a resource of 21.0 million tonnes at 1.17 per cent total rare earth oxides. The rare earths at Yangibana are mainly hosted in monazite rich ironstones hence the importance of thorium anomalies.
White Cliff Technical Director, Ed Mead said: “The assay results build on our understanding of Yinnetharra. The northwest area of the project was identified as having potential to host lithium bearing pegmatites with the presence of sedimentary sequences being favourable host rocks, like Red Dirt’s Yinnetharra Lithium Project. Results focus our attention towards a significant mapping and sampling program for lithium pegmatites.”
White Cliff neighbours Red Dirt have drilled 34 holes at its own Yinnetharra project with lithium mineral spodumene confirmed in pegmatites. Best results include 23m at 1.02 per cent lithium oxide and 18m going 1.09 per cent. Red Dirt says it has a highly prospective lithium-caesium-tantalum bearing belt of metasediments forming a contact with a regional scale granite trending in a north westerly orientation for approximately 50km. The explorer has described outcropping pegmatites in a “Goldilocks” zone within 0-5km from the main granite intrusive. Red Dirt has found five mineralised pegmatites with dimensions of at least 1500m long, up to 36m wide, to a depth of at least 100m from surface. Interestingly it notes little discernible depletion and leaching of lithium within the shallow weathering profile.
White Cliff are now completing an interpretation of the project area. The company is reviewing all data from the project area and has generated a draft field program with a significant number of lithium and rare earths targets.
The company will undertake field inspection and surface sampling in the first quarter of this year that will be focused on the new thorium anomalies and north-western lithium target. Once data review and program design are complete, White Cliff will conduct further exploration on its large tenement position at Yinnetharra.
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By Matt Birney
