Tempest Minerals Ltd (ASX:TEM) is eager to expand the potential of the Meleya Project in WA, where a 2-kilometre rare earth element (REE) anomaly has been identified at the Outlaw target.
The mineral exploration company recently received geochemistry results from surface sampling carried out at the eastern portion of Meleya in the fourth quarter of last year, with the REE anomaly showing readings of up to 929 parts per million (ppm) cerium and 457 ppm lanthanum in soil assays.
This new area adjoins the recently-announced copper-zinc anomaly at the Remorse target, and with very little to no prior exploration in the area, the discovery adds to the potential for multiple precious, base and critical metal mineralisation systems within the Tempest portfolio.
The company is planning more programs to further progress the targets.
Remorse (base metal) and Outlaw (nickel and rare earth) anomalies.
Understanding the geology
Meleya project is a previously unrecognised extension of the Yalgoo Greenstone belt and is home to a suite of prospective targets, including the Ktulu, Outlaw and Remorse prospects.
The easterly portion of the project surrounds the Ktulu target and is known to host several historical gold workings at the Pinyalling Mining Centre, some 8 kilometres from the tenement area where 958 ounces of gold was produced between 1902 and 1939.
The purpose of the soil sampling was to generate data relating to the area's geochemistry and geology, with Tempest completing an initial broad 45 square kilometre, 200 by 200 metre-spaced soil sampling and mapping of more than 1,000 samples.
Aside from cerium and lanthanum, outcrop rock samples returned 0.9% nickel and 0.15% chromium, while soil samples returned up to 0.5% nickel and 0.14% chromium.
Coming up
Tempest is awaiting more assay results from the campaign.
In the meantime, it is planning further sampling programs in new tenement areas and exploration works in other projects within its wider portfolio.
Approvals and planning for drilling in these prospects are in progress.
Tempest has exposure to lithium projects in eastern and southern Africa and the US, as well as exploration and development interests across Papua New Guinea and Western Australia.