American Rare Earths Ltd (ASX:ARR, OTCQB:ARRNF) has taken a key step to progress its strategy to supply in-demand critical metals domestically in the US with the 2024 drilling campaign underway at the Cowboy State Mine (CSM) area of the Halleck Creek Rare Earths Project in Wyoming.
The 23-hole program will contain 11 HQ core holes and 12 reverse circulation (RC) holes with a planned total of approximately 2,670 metres, including 1,590 metres in the core hole drilling.
This first stage of infill drilling will allow the company to upgrade resource estimates at CSM while providing key data for pit design, environmental baseline studies and additional ore material for metallurgical test-work.
“Significant step”
American Rare Earths chairman Richard Hudson said: "This drilling program marks another significant step forward in advancing the project towards pre-feasibility analysis.
"The data and samples collected will provide a solid foundation for our metallurgical test work and resource modelling, ultimately enhancing our ability to develop a robust and sustainable mining operation."
“We look forward to providing investors with updates on the campaigns as they come through.”
About the drilling
Drilling began on July 8, 2024, and will continue for approximately 6 to 8 weeks into August.
The company has again partnered with FTE Drilling which completed the previous 2023 campaign on-time and on-budget. The seasoned team members will strive to repeat this for 2024.
HQ-sized core holes will vary in depth between 80 metres and 300 metres for around 1,590 metres. RC holes will vary in depth between 80 metres and 110 metres for about 1,080 metres.
Reverse circulation rig at Hole HC24-RM023.
ARR geologists will photograph, log, split core at site, then submit samples to ALS Global for assay. Remaining core will be held in reserve for additional testing.
RC samples will be collected using rotary splitting unit to provide three RC samples for logging, XRF and assay.
“Crucial campaign”
"We are excited to commence our 2024 drilling campaign at the Cowboy State Mine area," American Rare Earths CEO Donald Swartz said.
"This phase of infill drilling is crucial for upgrading our resource estimates and gathering essential data for pit design and environmental studies.
"Our partnership with FTE Drilling, who has consistently delivered on time and on budget, gives us confidence that we will achieve our goals for this year."
Drilling objectives
The primary objectives of the exploration drilling include:
- Upgrading resource estimates to include a majority of measured and indicated resources, which will hopefully be converted to probable reserves as part of pre-feasibility studies.
- Increasing resources at depth and to the west, defining geological contacts to the east.
- Collecting core samples for geomechanical testing.
- Collecting core samples for hydrological and baseline environmental testing.
- Collecting samples for additional metallurgical test-work.
Century Geophysical will collect televiewer and gamma logs from core holes. WSP will be at site assisting ARR with interpreting televiewer logs and collecting samples geomechanical testing.
The company plans to utilise this drilling data to update geological resource models that will then feed into pre-feasibility studies for the CSM area.