Parabellum Resources Ltd (ASX:PBL) has the diamond drill spinning for a 2,000-metre program at the Khotgor Rare Earth Elements (REE) Project in resource-rich southern Mongolia, northwest of the world-class Oyu Tolgoi mine.
The metallurgical drilling along with a bulk sampling program will target the higher-grade resource areas to obtain a 50-tonne bulk metallurgical sample for a JORC definitive feasibility study (DFS) at the project.
This study is scheduled to commence in the June quarter of 2023, subject to completing a scoping study in the first quarter of 2023.
Potential to be major NdPr supplier
Khotgor is touted as one of the world’s largest undeveloped rare earth deposits with the potential to be a major supplier of high-value NdPr (neodymium-praseodymium) and Parabellum aims to demonstrate this with aggressive exploration and pre-development programs.
NdPr is facing strong and growing demand as it is a vital material needed to magnets and therefore, future wind power generation.
Shares higher
Parabellum non-executive chairman Mark Hohnen said: “We are delighted that the technical team at Temarise has been able to deploy the first of two drill rigs, drill crews and geologists to site in order to commence the 2,000-metre drill program without delay.
"The project has clear objectives to target higher-grade areas within the initial 20-year pit design shell and deliver the required bulk sample for the JORC feasibility study; both being critical steps to delivering our objectives set out in the work programs for the remainder of 2022.”
Investors have welcomed the start of drilling, driving the share price up by as much as 4.69% to $0.335.
Drill rig setting up over the first hole at Khotgor.
Metallurgical drilling
PBL has initially planned about 14 holes of metallurgical infill drilling for a total drill program of 2,000 metres, mainly within the initial 10 years of the open pit design plan.
These holes will be between 150 metres and 200 metres in depth, with an average depth of 170 metres. Large PQ diameter core holes will be drilled to maximise core sample recovery.
The 2,000-metre drill program, which is being managed by the Temarise technical team established in Mongolia, is scheduled to be completed within 10 weeks.
Additionally, Parabellum will take ore samples from a number of surface trenches to be used for further geotechnical test-work.
Preparing bulk sample
In total, approximately 50 tonnes of sample will be collected for use in the DFS with core samples to be used for a variety of comminution, variability and geotechnical test-work.
Sample preparation will be undertaken in Ulaanbaatar before the end of the year. The bulk sample will then be shipped to ALS Labs based in Perth, Western Australia, and is scheduled to arrive in the June quarter of 2023.
Core will also be combined with ore from the surface trenching to produce a bulk flotation concentrate to optimise the metallurgical flow sheet being developed for the scoping study stage.
The flotation concentrate will subsequently be used to optimise the hydrometallurgical flowsheet being designed to produce an NdPr saleable product.
Looking south over the Khotgor leases.
Parabellum has previously entered into an agreement with Temarise Limited (UK) that holds the exclusive option to acquire 80% of Khotgor REE Project.
The company also holds a 100% interest in four projects in a highly prospective region in New South Wales, Australia, offering exposure to copper and gold.