For personal use only
ASX ANNOUNCEMENT
23 November 2021
ASX: ABX
ABx highest rare earth grades from drilling at Deep Leads Tasmania
- ABx has once again discovered a new record high grade of Rare Earth Elements (REE) in the first drill results from its recent step-out drilling campaign at Deep Leads in northern Tasmania
- Hole DL392 returned a grade of 493 ppm Nd2O3, our highest neodymium grade to date from the Deep Leads discovery and had 1,878 ppm total rare earths oxide (TREO) - see Figures 2 & 3
- The thickness of the mineralised zone has been shown to be at least 3 metres thick
- Hole DL392 represents a 250 metre easterly extension of the REE mineralisation
- Hole DL392 revealed the geological setting of the REE at Deep Leads and has shown that drillholes need to penetrate further into broken, altered bedrock in areas of high water flow
- A specialist multi-purpose drill technology is being assembled for efficient drilling through this mixed zone of mineralised clays, wet clays, clay-broken rock mixture and harder bedrock
- The strike length of the Deep Leads REE exceeds 3.25 km and is open in several directions. Similar prospects exist across the region in the tenements held by ABx
- A large number of assays from drillholes recently drilled on the western flank of Deep Leads are pending, some from thicker zones of prospective geology
- Our soluble rare earths deposit differs from traditional hard rock REE deposits, being lower cost and dominated by the four super-magnet type of REEs, which are the highest value REE
- Results to date are consistent with the Ionic Adsorption Clay (IAC) type of REE mineralisation which can be rapidly developed and processed at low cost. ABx is advised that ABx is one of very few publicly listed discoverers of IAC deposits
ABx Group (ASX:ABX) is pleased to report recent assay results from its Deep Leads rare earth element (REE) discovery at the DL130 bauxite deposit in northern Tasmania, which is now proven to extend for more than 3.25 kilometres - see Figure 3.
Highest grade of super magnet REE to date and thicker intercepts
The intercept in hole DL392 has the highest grades of all four super-magnet REE to date, including 493ppm of neodymium oxide (Nd2O3), which is the main super-magnet REE 1.
The mineralisation in recent holes DL392 and DL393 is at least three metres thick, but the drill rig was unable to drill all the way through the mineralised zone due to mixtures of wet clays and broken, altered rock with high water flow rates. Hole DL393 is the first hole drilled into Target 2 (see Figure 3).
Results from the next 20 drillholes are pending
ABx awaits assay results from 20 more recent drillholes that can materially expand the areal extent of the Deep Leads REE mineralisation. These 20 holes with assays pending are shown on Figure 3.
1 See JORC Statement Appendix 1 | ||
Australian Bauxite Limited t/a ABx Group | Level 5 52 Phillip Street | Sydney NSW 2000 |
ABN 14 139 494 885 | P: +61 2 9251 7177 | F: +61 2 9251 7500 |
ASX Announcement
23 November 2021
page 2
For personal use only
Figure 1: Location of ABx's Deep Leads REE Discovery in Northern Tasmania
Hole DL392 summary | Super Magnet REE | |||||||||||
Depth | Geology | Wet | Rock | REE Grade (Total Rare Earth | Nd2O3 | Pr2O3 | Dy2O3 | Tb2O3 | Other | TREO | ||
To (m) | structure | Oxides TREO ppm) | (ppm) | (ppm) | (ppm) | (ppm) | REE (ppm) | (ppm) | ||||
6 | Damp clay | 9.1 | 2.4 | 2.0 | 0.3 | 66 | 79 | |||||
7 | Damp clay & | Clay | 19.7 | 5.2 | 4.0 | 0.7 | 122 | 152 | ||||
wet clay | ||||||||||||
8 | Wet clay | 92.4 | 24.8 | 16.3 | 2.8 | 478 | 615 | |||||
9 | Very wet clay | 493.4 | 121.7 | 76.8 | 14.3 | 1,171 | 1,878 | |||||
& rock | ||||||||||||
10 | Wet, broken | 258.9 | 70.5 | 40.3 | 7.4 | 608 | 985 | |||||
altered rock | ||||||||||||
Drillhole | could not | penetrate | firm bedrock | |||||||||
Figure 2: Drill log and REE grades of the mineralised intercept in hole DL392
Legend: | REE | = rare earth elements |
TREO | = total rare earth oxides | |
Super-magnet REE: | Nd2O3 | = neodymium oxide |
Pr2O3 | = praseodymium oxide | |
Dy2O3 | = dysprosium oxide | |
Tb2O3 | = terbium oxide |
use only
Target
Target
Hole DL313
Hole DL162
Target | Mineralised |
zone |
ASX Announcement
23 November 2021
page 3
Target | Source | Rock? | Target 2 |
Possible | |||
Hole DL393 | |||
Hole DL392 Highest super- magnet REE grades
For personal
Target
250m
Hole DL187
Highest
TREO grade
Figure 3: Drillhole grades of Total Rare Earth Element Oxides (ppm TREO) at Deep Leads Discovery.
Note 1: Most early drillholes were not deep enough to test the full REE horizon which occurs at the boundary between REE-rich clays and broken, altered basement rock where groundwater flows are strongest. This difficult drill target requires specialist drilling technology to efficiently drill this discovery.
Note 2: The mineralised zones in holes DL392 and DL393 were at least 3 metres thick. Hole DL393 is the first drillhole into "Target 2" clays that have shed off the plateau (see green zone in Figure 3).
Significance of these results
- ABx's REE mineralisation is enriched in the super-magnetic rare earth elements neodymium (Nd), praseodymium (Pr), terbium (Tb) and dysprosium (Dy), which are strategically important, high priced metals needed for electric vehicles, wind turbines, smart phones and military electronics. Prices are rising rapidly as demand grows strongly.
- ABx's REE exploration is identifying a large, low-grade mineralised zone that appears strongest where the flow rates of the saline groundwater are strong.
- Like low-grade open pit gold deposits, this REE mineralisation can be easily processed.
- ABx believes it has discovered "water-soluble" ionic adsorption clay REE resources that can be concentrated into a saleable precipitate by low-cost leaching with dilute water-based solutions (see ASX release 13/09/2021).
- Some drillholes need to be drilled to 25 metres depth in places to ensure that the entire REE mineralised clay and altered bedrock mineralised horizon is revealed and sampled.
For personal use only
ASX Announcement
23 November 2021
page 4
Summary comments
ABx Exploration Manager, Paul Glover said; "As Covid travel restrictions ease, we can introduce new technologies for this REE exploration project, including high resolution geophysics to map the groundwater channels that host the best REE exploration targets and a multi-purpose drill rig to reveal the full thickness and geology of the mineralised zones.
We await the granting of our new Exploration License application that covers several attractive REE targets that exist to the east of our current Deep Leads discovery."
This announcement is authorised by the Board of Australian Bauxite Limited.
For further information please contact:
Ian Levy, CEO
ABx Group
Mobile: +61 407 189 122
Email: ilevy@australianbauxite.com.au
ASX Announcement
23 November 2021
page 5
Table 1: REE drill results Deep Leads Discovery
Super Magnet REE | |||||||||||
only | Hole | From | To | Nd2O3 | Pr2O3 | Dy2O3 | Tb2O3 | Other REE | TREO | ||
(m) | (m) | (ppm) | (ppm) | (ppm) | (ppm) | (ppm) | (ppm) | ||||
DL389 | 13 | 14 | 23.6 | 6.3 | 2.9 | 0.6 | 139 | 172 | |||
DL389 | 14 | 15 | 17.7 | 4.7 | 3.1 | 0.6 | 129 | 155 | |||
DL389 | 15 | 16 | 11.3 | 2.7 | 3.7 | 0.6 | 80 | 99 | |||
DL389 | 16 | 17 | 29.3 | 6.8 | 7.3 | 1.3 | 142 | 187 | |||
DL389 | 17 | 18 | 106.3 | 25.4 | 20.9 | 4.0 | 439 | 595 | |||
DL389 | 18 | 19 | 209.9 | 48.7 | 52.7 | 9.7 | 908 | 1229 | |||
DL389 | 19 | 20 | 159.8 | 36.7 | 42.2 | 7.7 | 735 | 981 | |||
Drill hole did not reach firm | bedrock | ||||||||||
use | DL390 | 12 | 13 | 19.9 | 5.4 | 3.5 | 0.7 | 192 | 222 | ||
DL390 | 13 | 14 | 24.6 | 6.5 | 4.9 | 0.9 | 383 | 420 | |||
DL390 | 14 | 15 | 25.2 | 6.0 | 7.8 | 1.3 | 257 | 297 | |||
DL390 | 15 | 16 | 30.6 | 7.1 | 9.2 | 1.5 | 287 | 336 | |||
Drill hole stopped at top of firm bedrock | |||||||||||
DL391 | 5 | 6 | 2.8 | 0.7 | 0.9 | 0.1 | 22 | 27 | |||
DL391 | 6 | 7 | 2.4 | 0.6 | 0.7 | 0.1 | 21 | 25 | |||
DL391 | 7 | 8 | 2.3 | 0.6 | 0.7 | 0.1 | 27 | 31 | |||
personal | DL391 | 8 | 9 | 6.2 | 1.6 | 1.4 | 0.2 | 154 | 163 | ||
DL391 | 9 | 10 | 6.0 | 1.5 | 1.3 | 0.2 | 158 | 167 | |||
DL394 | 11 | 12 | 16.6 | 4.3 | 3.5 | 0.6 | 215 | 240 | |||
Drill hole stopped at top of firm bedrock | |||||||||||
DL392 | 5 | 6 | 9.1 | 2.4 | 2.0 | 0.3 | 66 | 79 | |||
DL392 | 6 | 7 | 19.7 | 5.2 | 4.0 | 0.7 | 122 | 152 | |||
DL392 | 7 | 8 | 92.4 | 24.8 | 16.3 | 2.8 | 478 | 615 | |||
DL392 | 8 | 9 | 493.4 | 121.7 | 76.8 | 14.3 | 1171 | 1878 | |||
DL392 | 9 | 10 | 258.9 | 70.5 | 40.3 | 7.4 | 608 | 985 | |||
Drill hole could not | penetrate firm bedrock | ||||||||||
DL393 | 4 | 5 | 60.1 | 16.3 | 11.4 | 2.0 | 282 | 372 | |||
DL393 | 5 | 6 | 64.4 | 17.4 | 11.7 | 2.0 | 282 | 377 | |||
DL393 | 6 | 7 | 60.9 | 16.2 | 12.4 | 2.2 | 269 | 361 | |||
Drill hole stopped at | top of firm bedrock | ||||||||||
DL394 | 7 | 8 | 8.7 | 2.6 | 2.5 | 0.4 | 107 | 122 | |||
DL394 | 8 | 9 | 5.4 | 1.5 | 1.5 | 0.3 | 175 | 184 | |||
DL394 | 9 | 10 | 12.1 | 3.0 | 3.0 | 0.5 | 289 | 308 | |||
DL394 | 10 | 11 | 28.7 | 7.2 | 5.8 | 1.0 | 203 | 246 | |||
For | Drill hole stopped at top of firm bedrock | ||||||||||
DL395 | 5 | 6 | 5.4 | 1.5 | 0.9 | 0.2 | 65 | 72 | |||
DL395 | 6 | 7 | 2.3 | 0.6 | 0.5 | 0.1 | 20 | 24 | |||
DL395 | 7 | 8 | 3.0 | 0.7 | 0.6 | 0.1 | 38 | 42 | |||
DL395 | 8 | 9 | 3.2 | 0.9 | 0.7 | 0.1 | 39 | 44 | |||
DL395 | 9 | 10 | 5.3 | 1.5 | 1.2 | 0.2 | 120 | 129 | |||
DL395 | 10 | 11 | 25.3 | 1.4 | 1.1 | 0.2 | 90 | 98 | |||
DL395 | 11 | 12 | 21.0 | 3.9 | 4.0 | 0.6 | 237 | 261 | |||
DL395 | 12 | 13 | 2.6 | 7.1 | 5.1 | 0.9 | 219 | 258 | |||
DL395 | 13 | 14 | 6.6 | 5.8 | 4.2 | 0.6 | 195 | 226 | |||
DL396 | 2 | 3 | 1.9 | 0.7 | 0.6 | 0.1 | 17 | 21 | |||
DL396 | 3 | 4 | 3.2 | 1.8 | 1.1 | 0.2 | 43 | 53 | |||
DL396 | 4 | 5 | 5.2 | 0.5 | 0.5 | 0.1 | 55 | 58 | |||
DL396 | 5 | 6 | 14.9 | 0.8 | 0.8 | 0.1 | 47 | 52 |
Drill hole stopped at top of firm bedrock
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Australian Bauxite Ltd. published this content on 23 November 2021 and is solely responsible for the information contained therein. Distributed by Public, unedited and unaltered, on 23 November 2021 02:18:05 UTC.