Aruma Resources Ltd (ASX:AAJ) has started fieldwork at its Saltwater Project, joining the hunt for rare earth elements (REE) in the resource-rich Pilbara region in Western Australia, ahead of a maiden drilling program.
The initial program will include mapping and extensive surface geochemical sampling over an interpreted 80-kilometre strike for light and heavy REE, beginning with a priority target of more than 10 kilometres west of the Nobby’s prospect.
Simultaneously, the Perth-based exploration company will test the area for other base and precious metals.
The Saltwater Project consists of four granted exploration licences over a total area of 450 square kilometres, about 120 kilometres southwest of the regional mining centre of Newman.
The Saltwater Project showing initial sampling target and interpreted target stratigraphy (red line). Dreadnought Resources’ Bresnahan Project is also shown.
Unlocking potential
Aruma managing director Glenn Grayson said: "We are excited by the REE potential of the Saltwater Project, which we are of the view represents a significant underexplored REE opportunity in what is an emerging REE province.
“We have defined an extensive interpreted strike of 80 kilometres which will be systematically explored for its REE potential, and we believe that our ground holding is amongst the most prospective REE tenure in the region.
“Given the burgeoning demand for critical rare earth elements, our fieldwork is designed to aggressively and systematically unlock the REE potential of the project.”
Background on Saltwater
Iron manganese shale outcrop at Saltwater.
Aruma had planned to prospect for gold at Saltwater in 2020 but changed its mind following an assessment of historic exploration within the area, which revealed REE, base metals, gold and uranium results from previous explorers in the region.
This included the strong REE results reported by U308 (ASX:UTO) Ltd in 2010, which included up to 3.1% copper, 1.4% lead, 1.5% vanadium and 2 g/t gold in samples from the area’s Sirius and Lavanto prospects.
Similarly, Dreadnought Resources Ltd (ASX:DRE, OTC:DRDNF), which has significant landholding at its Bresnahan Project immediately adjacent to Saltwater, delivered significant light and heavy REE results from reconnaissance surface samples earlier this year.
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