Ionic Rare Earths Ltd (ASX:IXR, OTC:IXRRF) continues to validate the significant potential of its 60%-owned Makuutu Heavy Rare Earths Project in Uganda with the further discovery of rare earth elements of up to 1,337 parts per million (ppm) total rare earth oxide (TREO).
The latest discovery on exploration licence (EL) 00147 demonstrates the substantial upside potential of the asset as 43 out of the 45 clay-hosted rare earth intersections were outside the 2022 mineral resource estimate (MRE) and above the cut-off grade of 200 ppm TREO-cerium oxide (CeO2).
Some of the highest-grade intervals from the phase 5 rotary air blast (RAB) tranche 1 campaign carried out at the target included:
- 3 metres at 1,337 ppm TREO from 13 metres in RRMRB083;
- 10 metres at 1,029 ppm TREO from 5 metres in RRMRB079;
- 11 metres at 1,013 ppm TREO from 6 metres in RRMRB105;
- 7 metres at 974 ppm TREO from 6 metres in RRMRB078; and
- 24 metres at 967 ppm TREO from 4 metres in RRMRB086.
“EL00147 has now confirmed clay-hosted REE in 66 of 70 RAB holes drilled across programs in 2021 and 2023, on a broad 500-metre spacing, which highlights the massive potential of this exploration target,” IonicRE managing director Tim Harrison said.
“These results confirm the significance of Makuutu as a strategic asset with an expanding IAC deposit.
“This potential to expand the Makuutu resource further to the east means we expect the scale of the project to substantially increase in the future, with these new assays inferring considerable upside at Makuutu.”
Makuutu project drill status plan showing location of RAB results and current core drilling program location.
Most prospective zone
EL0147 is at the eastern end of Makuutu and was previously tested with 1-kilometre spaced RAB holes in 2021.
The 2023 program was designed to decrease the hole spacing to about 500 metres to determine broad trends and zonation of the mineralisation.
Further work is being planned on these areas, including metallurgical test work to determine potential rare earth extractions and core drilling to progress to a resource estimate.
Elsewhere, results are pending for the remaining 31 RAB drill holes from the unexplored northwestern licence EL0257, while infill drilling is ongoing at licence RL00007 aimed at increasing the resource confidence from inferred to indicated status.
Seventy eight holes for 1,580 metres have been completed at RL00007 so far and the campaign is expected to wrap up in October.
Secure and sustainable supply of MREO
“Our focus on the delivery of the Makuutu Heavy Rare Earths Project in Uganda positions us to provide a secure, sustainable and traceable supply of magnet rare earth oxides (MREO),” Harrison said.
“Along with our Belfast recycling facility, Makuutu is key to us harnessing our technology to accelerate our mining, refining and recycling of magnets and heavy rare earths which are critical for the energy transition, advanced manufacturing, and defence.”
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