European Lithium Ltd reports robust 2024 diamond drill results from its Tanbreez Rare Earth Project in Greenland, confirming consistent high-grade rare earth mineralisation with significant heavy rare earth content and promising associated metals.
- Consistent TREO grades between 0.48% and 0.55% across multiple drill holes
- Heavy rare earth oxides constitute approximately 25–27% of total rare earth oxides
- Significant zirconium oxide grades around 1.86–1.99% and gallium oxide between 90–100 ppm
- Mineralisation remains open at depth, supporting resource expansion potential
- Ongoing 2024–2025 drilling program with further assays pending
Strategic Rare Earths Confirmed in Greenland
European Lithium Ltd (ASX, EUR) has released compelling new assay results from its 2024 diamond drilling campaign at the Tanbreez Rare Earth Project in southern Greenland. The latest data reinforce the project's status as a significant source of high-grade rare earth elements (REEs), with total rare earth oxide (TREO) grades consistently ranging from 0.48% to 0.55% across four recently reported drill holes.
Notably, the heavy rare earth oxides (HREO), critical for advanced technologies and defence applications, make up roughly 25 to 27% of the TREO content. This high proportion of HREOs enhances the strategic value of Tanbreez, especially amid global supply chain concerns due to China's dominant position in rare earth markets.
Additional Valuable Metals Highlight Economic Potential
Beyond rare earths, the drilling has revealed significant concentrations of zirconium oxide (ZrO₂) between 1.86% and 1.99%, and gallium oxide (Ga₂O₃) assays ranging from 90 to 100 parts per million. Gallium, a metal used in electronics and photovoltaics, could provide an additional economic credit to the project's mineral concentrate, pending further metallurgical evaluation.
The drilling holes were vertically oriented, intersecting sub-horizontal kakortokite layers, the host rock for the mineralisation, at true thicknesses. This approach confirms the continuity of mineralisation and grade across multiple sections of the Fjord Deposit, consistent with historical data and supporting robust resource modelling.
Ongoing Drilling and Resource Upgrade Program
The 2024–2025 drilling campaign is part of a broader Fjord Resource Upgrade program, with over 1,500 metres drilled so far in 2025 and additional assays expected between late August and October. The mineralisation remains open at depth in all reported holes, indicating potential for further resource expansion.
European Lithium's CEO and Executive Chairman, Tony Sage, emphasised the project's strategic importance, "With China's control over the rare earth market, securing sources of these critical minerals has become paramount for U.S. defence capabilities and national security. Our rare earth grades position Tanbreez as a strategically important asset for Western supply chains." He highlighted the company's progress in processing drill cores and the strong potential to grow the mineral inventory as drilling continues.
Environmental and Political Advantages
Tanbreez stands out among major rare earth deposits due to its very low levels of uranium and thorium, which reduces environmental and regulatory challenges. The deposit's stratiform magmatic mineralisation within kakortokite rock provides a reliable geological model, supporting bulk mining strategies and enhancing confidence in future resource estimates.
The project is jointly owned by Critical Metals Corp and European Lithium, with the latter holding approximately 7.5% interest in Tanbreez and a majority stake in Critical Metals. As the project advances from exploration toward feasibility and predevelopment, these new drilling results underscore its potential to become a cornerstone rare earth supply source outside of China.
Bottom Line?
As assays from ongoing drilling arrive, Tanbreez’s rare earth resource could solidify its role in securing critical minerals for Western industries.
Questions in the middle?
- How will pending assay results from additional drill holes impact the overall resource estimate?
- What is the potential economic contribution of gallium oxide credits to the project’s viability?
- How might geopolitical tensions influence the development timeline and partnerships for Tanbreez?