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eMetals Limited (ASX:EMT) announce results from reconnaissance stream sediment sampling at the Nardoo Well Project in the Gascoyne Region of Western Australia.
The Directors of eMetals Limited (ASX:EMT) (eMETALS) (Company), are pleased to announce results from reconnaissance stream sediment sampling at the Nardoo Well Project in the Gascoyne Region of Western Australia.
HIGHLIGHTS
- Stream sediment sampling has discovered new tungsten, niobium, tin and tantalum anomalies.
- Highly anomalous niobium, tungsten and tin in stream sediments with individual samples returning;
- CS0004: 217ppm Nb, 0.03% Sn (300ppm),
- CS0007: 335ppm Nb, 0.03% Sn (300ppm),
- CS0011: 288ppm Nb, 0.03% Sn (300ppm),
- CS0012: 193ppm Nb, 0.02% Sn (200ppm),
- CS0015: 129ppm W, 183ppm Nb, 0.05% Sn (500ppm),
- CS0016: 113ppm W, 65ppm Nb, 0.03% Sn (300ppm).
- Prospectivity for a Nb-Ta-REE pegmatite and tungsten skarn has been extended to a new 2.0 km x 1.5 km area at the Nardoo East Prospect.
- Anomalous Nb-Ta-Ce-La anomalies west of the Beryl Well pegmatite to be explored.
- Additional field work and drill planning has commenced for the 2020 field season.
- Some COVID-19 related delays are to be anticipated.
eMetals is pleased to release the results of reconnaissance stream sediment sampling taken as part of the 2019 statutory work program. The stream sediment sampling was undertaken by Gneiss Results (Gneiss) during the 2019 field season in conjunction with mapping and due diligence (refer ASX Announcement 9th March 2020).
Commenting on the results, Company Director Mr Mathew Walker said:
“These results are highly encouraging and far exceed thresholds recorded by previous explorers. The presence of extremely anomalous niobium and tin within the Nardoo East area is unexpected but extremely exciting and demonstrates the potential of the entire Project area.”
A total of 121, -115 mesh stream sediment samples were taken from third-order streams in two areas of the tenement (figure 2), at Nardoo Hill East and Beryl Well. 26 rock chip samples were also collected. Nardoo Hill East is proximal to an occurrence of tungsten mineralization identified in 1981 by Whim Creek Consolidated, and the area at Beryl Well lies immediately west of the tenement boundary between E09/2114 and E09/2156 which (prior to acquisition of the tenure from VMC Limited) was the limit of EMT’s tenure.
BACKGROUND
The Nardoo Hill Rare Metals Project is located within the Gascoyne Mineral Province in Western Australia, approximately 840 km to the north of Perth. E09/2114 Nardoo Hill contains approximately 15 strike kilometres of tungsten mineralized skarns within the Mount James Subgroup, and several Li-Ta-Nb-REE mineralized pegmatite occurrences.
E09/2156 overlies the historical Nardoo Hill & Morrissey Hill workings, in a pelitic and gneissic terrain that has been extensively intruded by pegmatites, which host tantalum-lithium-niobium mineralization. The acquisition of E09/2156 has expanded the tenement position to include areas which were identified as prospective for niobium, tantalum and rare earth element pegmatites (Nb- Ta-REE) as detailed in the Company ASX Announcement on 09 March 2020.
Pursuant to the binding term sheet (Term Sheet) announced to the ASX on 27 March 2018, activities to meet expenditure commitments on the tenure were undertaken. The work undertaken was in line with statutory requirements to maintain expenditure on the tenements and submit compliance reports to the Mines Department.
A comprehensive project review of historical exploration activities on the Nardoo Well tenement is being undertaken, which involves compiling historical WAMEX reports into a GIS database. eMetals has engaged Gneiss to undertake field mapping, prospecting and a structural study aimed at confirming the mineralisation and producing an exploration program for 2020.
EXPLORATION ACTIVITIES
Stream sediment sampling was chosen as an effective method of exploration as a similar method was used in 2006 by Mincor Resources Limited to identify the tungsten skarns at Nardoo Well. Samples were collected from stream outwash areas, with 100g of -115 mesh sand submitted to Genalysis for 33 element 4-acid digest, with Sn, W, Nb and Ta analysed by zircon crucible peroxide fusion. This method was chosen to perform a high precision, low detection limit assay on the stream sediments, as very low level anomaly thresholds were expected (+20ppm W, +50ppm Nb, +10ppm Ta, +20ppm Sn) from highly refractory columbite, scheelite and cassiterite minerals.
Nardoo East
The Nardoo East area sampling has identified a significant area of anomalous stream sediments along a 3 kilometre section of the prospective staurolite schist (Leake Springs Metamorphics) which contains amphibolites which are a potential host to tungsten mineralization. The Nardoo East area includes stream sample points including:
- CS0004: 217ppm Nb, 0.03% Sn (300ppm)
- CS0007: 335ppm Nb, 0.03% Sn (300ppm)
- CS0011: 288ppm Nb, 0.03% Sn (300ppm)
- CS0012: 193ppm Nb, 0.02% Sn (200ppm)
- CS0015: 129ppm W, 0.05% Sn (500ppm), 183ppm Nb, 4.5ppm Ta
- CS0016: 113ppm W, 0.03% Sn (300ppm), 65ppm Nb, 3.5ppm Ta
Anomalies appear associated with quartz scree in the regolith, which likely represent material sourced from pegmatites. Pegmatite has been mapped in the area and pegmatite samples returned Nb-Ta enrichments up to 177ppm Ta.
Refer to Appendix 1 and Appendix 2 for full results.
Beryl Well
An area immediately west of the Beryl Well pegmatite outcrop was sampled in 2019, separate to and prior to the deal undertaken with Venus Metals Corporation Limited to acquire E09/2156. The stream sediment sampling at Beryl Well was undertaken to test for extensions of the pegmatite on E09/2114 Nardoo Well.
The sampling has detected anomalous stream sediments in an area over 1.5 x 2.5km west of the Beryl Well pegmatite. The area has considerable tourmaline bearing pegmatite swarms and NE-trending pegmatites. Results show enriched Ta, Nb, Ce, La (Figure 4).
ROCK CHIP SAMPLING
Rock chip samples were generally not anomalous except for CR0008 0.8% Cu (MGA 403905E, 7299725N), and anomalous niobium-tantalum results in several pegmatite samples, notably CR0022 46ppm Nb, 117ppm Ta, CR0025 40ppm Nb, 177ppm Ta and CR0026 152ppm Nb, 27ppm Ta. These results are encouraging for the Nb-Ta mineralization potential of pegmatites in general. Rock chip sample, location and assay data is presented in Appendix 2.
DISCUSSION
Results indicate highly significant, extremely anomalous results for tungsten (maximum 129ppm), niobium (maximum 355ppm), tantalum (maximum 75.6ppm), cerium (maximum 300ppm), and tin (maximum 0.05% or 500ppm) associated with several small catchment areas at Nardoo East.
These anomalous results exceed the previous tungsten anomaly thresholds from Mincor Resources’ 2006 stream sediment sampling, which led Mincor to the outcropping skarn mineralization primarily via the use of UV night lamping, rock chip sampling and mapping.
The current stream sediment sampling results at Nardoo East are interpreted to reflect a source of mineralization within the catchments that will be the subject of further exploration work such as infill soil sampling, rock chip sampling and UV lamping.
The presence of extremely anomalous niobium within the Nardoo East area is unexpected but is interpreted to reflect the presence of a niobium-tantalum bearing pegmatite within the catchment(s). These anomalies demonstrate the potential of the entire Project area to host Nb-Ta-REE and/or lithium bearing pegmatites.
Lack of lithium anomalism in the streams is not considered particularly discouraging, as lithium is highly mobile within sediments and readily diluted. Further work is required to understand the presence of tin anomalies and confirm the tenor of these anomalies.
The source of anomalism is unknown at this stage, but the association of Sn-W-Nb-Ta-Ce-La appears to be of a similar association to granitic and/or pegmatitic rare metals.
Pegmatites have been mapped extensively within the felsic gneiss units and along the contacts of the Leake Springs Metamorphics.
FURTHER EXPLORATION
The company is re-submitting the soil samples for Rare Earth Element (REE) characterization, to assess the nature of REE enrichments, and is planning an expanded stream sediment sampling, rock chipping and mapping program to follow up on the highly encouraging results at the Nardoo East Prospect and Beryl Well. Considerable additional target zones remain to be explored within the Nardoo Well Project.
EMT has begun planning a diamond drilling program to twin historical RC holes at the Nardoo tungsten skarn. The objective of this drilling will be to assess whether the strongly mineralised outcrop persists at depth, gain structural information, and confirm that diamond core provides more accurate sampling of mineralisation.
The Company has begun the process of engaging with Native Title holders and pastoralists. A Program of Works was submitted and approved during the March Quarter. Required native title heritage surveys were scheduled to occur but have been delayed due to travel restrictions imposed by the State Government in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.
This announcement has been authorised by the board of eMetals Limited.
For, and on behalf of, the Board of the Company
Mathew Walker
Director
Shareholders and other interested parties can speak to Mr Sonu Cheema if they have any queries in relation to this announcement: +618 6489 1600.
Forward looking statements
This announcement contains forward-looking statements which are identified by words such as ‘may’, ‘could’, ‘believes’, ‘estimates’, ‘targets’, ‘expects’, or ‘intends’ and other similar words that involve risks and uncertainties. These statements are based on an assessment of present economic and operating conditions, and on a number of assumptions regarding future events and actions that, as at the date of this announcement, are expected to take place. Such forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance and involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties, assumptions and other important factors, many of which are beyond the control of the Company, the directors and our management. We cannot and do not give any assurance that the results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by the forward-looking statements contained in this prospectus will actually occur and investors are cautioned not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements. We have no intention to update or revise forward-looking statements, or to publish prospective financial information in the future, regardless of whether new information, future events or any other factors affect the information contained in this announcement, except where required by law. These forward looking statements are subject to various risk factors that could cause our actual results to differ materially from the results expressed or anticipated in these statements.
Competent Persons Statement
The information in this announcement that relates to Exploration Results is based on and fairly represents information and supporting documentation prepared by Mr Roland Gotthard. Mr Gotthard is a consultant geologist for eMetals and a member of the Australian Institute of Mining and Metallurgy. Mr Gotthard has sufficient experience relevant to the styles of mineralisation and types of deposits which are covered in this announcement and to the activity which they are undertaking to qualify as a Competent Person as defined in the 2012 edition of the ‘Australasian Code for Reporting of Exploration Results, Mineral Resources and Ore Reserves’ (“JORC Code”). Mr Govey consents to the inclusion in this announcement of the matters based on his information in the form and context in which it appears.