Exploration Risks Remain Despite Havilah’s High-Grade Uranium Find
Havilah Resources has reported its highest-grade hard rock uranium discovery to date at the Johnson Dam prospect, revealing significant multi-metal mineralisation near its Kalkaroo deposit.
- Record uranium grades up to 8,984 ppm U3O8 over 1 metre
- Uranium mineralisation extends over 400 metres of strike
- Associated copper, cobalt, and rare earth elements detected
- Preliminary tests show uranium recoveries above 90%
- Exploration potential along several kilometres of granite contact zone
A New High-Grade Uranium Discovery
Havilah Resources Limited (ASX, HAV) has announced a breakthrough in its exploration efforts with the discovery of exceptionally high-grade hard rock uranium mineralisation at its Johnson Dam prospect in South Australia. The latest drilling campaign has yielded the highest uranium grades recorded at this site, including a standout intercept of 8,984 parts per million uranium oxide (U3O8) over one metre from 112 metres depth.
This discovery builds on previous promising results from 2023 and confirms that the Johnson Dam area hosts a substantial uranium system extending over 400 metres of strike. The mineralisation is not isolated to uranium alone; it is accompanied by low-grade copper, cobalt, and rare earth elements such as neodymium, highlighting the prospect’s multi-metal potential.
Geological Context and Exploration Significance
The uranium mineralisation appears to be structurally controlled and closely associated with a regional granite contact zone southwest of the Kalkaroo copper-gold-cobalt deposit, located approximately 14 kilometres away. Havilah’s technical team interprets that mineralising fluids likely originated from this granite intrusion and chemically interacted with surrounding carbonaceous pelite rocks, creating favourable conditions for uranium and rare earth element deposition.
The presence of a thick pyritic zone rich in sulphides and the proximity to existing mineral deposits enhance the exploration appeal. Furthermore, the lack of significant overburden and the presence of more than three kilometres of unexplored strike along the granite contact zone suggest considerable upside potential for expanding the resource base.
Metallurgical Insights and Development Prospects
Preliminary metallurgical testing conducted by Bureau Veritas in Adelaide indicates uranium recoveries exceeding 90%, a promising figure that supports the economic viability of future development. The combination of high-grade uranium with associated critical minerals such as cobalt and rare earth elements could position Johnson Dam as a strategically important multi-commodity project.
Havilah’s Technical Director, Dr Chris Giles, emphasised the significance of these results, noting the confirmation of high-grade uranium mineralisation over a substantial strike length and the encouraging metallurgical outcomes. The company is poised to continue exploration to delineate the extent of mineralisation and assess its commercial potential.
Looking Ahead
While the results are compelling, Havilah cautions that exploration is ongoing and that variability in mineralisation and sample quality means future drilling may not exactly replicate these grades. Nonetheless, the discovery marks an important milestone and sets the stage for further drilling and resource evaluation. The proximity to Kalkaroo and the multi-metal nature of the mineralisation could enhance the overall value proposition for the region.
Bottom Line?
Havilah’s Johnson Dam discovery could reshape uranium and critical minerals exploration in South Australia, but further drilling will be key to unlocking its full potential.
Questions in the middle?
- How extensive is the uranium mineralisation beyond the currently drilled 400 metres strike?
- What are the next steps for resource estimation and feasibility studies at Johnson Dam?
- How might the multi-metal nature of the deposit influence Havilah’s development strategy and partnerships?
