Pinnacle Minerals Ltd (ASX: PIM) has obtained rock chips returning elevated rare earth oxides intercepted in the bottom of Hole TAM008 / TB050 during the recently completed Tambellup East drilling campaign in Western Australia.
TAM008 was drilled to test historical elevated nickel geochemical results. The rock chip(s) were categorized by respected Mineralogist Dr. Roger Townend1 as an apatite rich “chlorite apatite hornblende rock” with the level of apatite in the rock being characteristic of carbonatites. It is noted that there are examples of carbonatites, e.g., Tapir in Brazil, where carbonate (calcite) forms only 3% of the complex and 80% is pyroxenite. The latter usually contains > 5% apatite.
Four rock chips from the bottom (40m) of hole TAM008, sent for multi-element assay returned a maximum value of 626.3ppm TREO, which given the geochemistry of the rock and the overlaying clay regolith opens the potential for both hard rock and clay hosted rare earth deposits.
Based upon these outstanding results the board has approved an immediate follow up, targeted reverse circulation (RC) drilling programme to further test the Disruptor Prospect. POW’s have been applied for and are awaiting approval.
“Having only scratched the surface of this unique prospect, the team at Pinnacle is excited about returning to conduct follow up drilling to thoroughly test for mineralization at depth with the aim defining zones more enriched with rare earth oxides and testing the extent of any clay hosted REE mineralization,” Managing Director, Nic Matich, said.
“The company has strategically applied for an additional 182.2sq. km of tenure located to the north and east, along trend from the dyke intersected during the drilling programme. The entire project area contains numerous east/west trending dykes which are structurally and geologically similar to those with-in the ‘Disruptor Prospect’.
The clays intercepted during the program are being shipped to Katanning. A review of the chip trays has resulted in several holes being selected for initial metre-by- metre assays for rare earth elements (REE’s).
The Disruptor Prospect
The “Disruptor Prospect” is located 12.5km east of Tambellup and 120km North from the Deepwater Port of Albany. Located on freehold land, the prospect is readily accessible all year round via the sealed Gnowangerup-Tambellup Rd.
Prior to being sent for assay, rock chip TAM008-RC-B was sent to Diamantina Laboratories for mineralogical assessment by Dr. Roger Townend with the rock chip being identified as a “chlorite apatite hornblende rock” with characteristics of a carbonatite. It is noted that there are examples of carbonatites, e.g., Tapir in Brazil, where carbonate (calcite) forms only 3% of the complex and 80% is pyroxenite. The latter usually contains >5% apatite.
The prospect lies on the intersection of an East/West trending dyke and a large NE/SW trending transtensional fault zone.
The potential carbonatite was intersected 40m from surface on what is interpreted to be the East/West trending dyke. The overlying clay regolith has the potential to host rare earth element (REE) mineralization from the weathering of the basement material which contains allanite, a mineral extremely rich in rare earth elements. Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM) and Energy Dispersive Spectroscopy results highlight the allanite in rock chip TAM008-RC-B contains 20.3% TREO’s.
Four rock chips intercepted in the bottom of hole TAM008 were analyzed at Lab West for 64 elements, including rare earth elements.
The average “magnet rare earth oxides” (Pr6O11, Nd2O3, Tb4O7, Dy2O3) ratio of these four rock chips is 29.4% which compares favourably to peers.
Follow up targeted RC drilling has been approved by the board and the market will be kept updated as this exciting prospect is developed further.
For further information please visit: https://pinnacleminerals.com.au/
