RareX Limited’s initial exploration at Mt Mansbridge reveals multiple high-grade heavy rare earth occurrences, including rock chips with up to 2.7% total rare earth oxides and exceptional heavy rare earth content. Soil sampling further confirms promising targets for future drilling.
- Rock chip assays up to 2.7% TREO with 94% heavy rare earth oxides at Sigma Prospect
- Three new mineralised areas discovered with significant heavy rare earth content
- Soil sampling confirms heavy rare earth unconformity target at Mt Mansbridge
- Exploration targets hydrothermal and unconformity-related mineralisation similar to Browns Range
- Further drilling planned in 2025 to define mineralisation extent
Exploration Breakthrough at Mt Mansbridge
RareX Limited (ASX:REE) has announced compelling results from the first phase of exploration at its Mt Mansbridge heavy rare earths project, located in Western Australia’s Kimberley-Tanami region. The company’s field teams have identified multiple high-grade heavy rare earth mineral occurrences, highlighted by rock chip samples returning up to 2.7% total rare earth oxides (TREO) with an extraordinary 94% heavy rare earth oxides (HREO) content at the Sigma Prospect.
This initial work included 39 rock chip samples and over 1,000 soil samples, revealing three newly mineralised areas with significant heavy rare earth elements, including dysprosium and terbium (DyTb), which are critical for advanced technologies such as electric vehicles and permanent magnets.
Geological Context and Significance
The Mt Mansbridge project targets hydrothermal and unconformity-related heavy rare earth mineralisation styles akin to those found at Northern Minerals’ Browns Range project, situated just 40 kilometres away. The exploration team has identified mineralised veins with grades up to 1.7% TREO containing 10% DyTb, and hydrothermally altered sandstones with up to 0.7% TREO and 13% DyTb. These findings suggest the presence of high-quality xenotime mineralisation, a heavy rare earth mineral of considerable economic interest.
Soil sampling has played a critical role in defining the extent of mineralisation, confirming a strong heavy rare earth unconformity target at Mt Mansbridge. Although the shallow soil profile limits dispersion, discrete anomalies have been delineated, particularly over the Sigma Prospect and along the unconformity ridge, indicating potential for further mineralised zones.
New Discoveries and Future Prospects
Beyond Sigma, the exploration team discovered three new mineralised zones at Mt Mansbridge South, including hematitic quartz veins and altered sandstone pods with heavy rare earth content. While soil anomalies were not always detected in these areas, the rock chip assays confirm the presence of mineralisation that warrants further investigation.
RareX’s Chairman Jeremy Robinson emphasised the significance of these early results, noting the challenges in discovering hard rock heavy rare earth deposits and expressing confidence in Mt Mansbridge’s potential. The company plans to advance exploration with drilling scheduled for 2025, aiming to better define mineralisation continuity, true widths, and ultimately, resource potential.
Strategic Positioning in Critical Minerals
RareX is building a diversified portfolio of critical mineral projects, including rare earths, gallium, niobium, and scandium. Mt Mansbridge complements its flagship Cummins Range project and the Khaleesi Project, positioning RareX as a notable player in Australia’s critical minerals sector. The company’s systematic approach and integration of historical data with modern exploration techniques underscore its commitment to unlocking value from these emerging resources.
Bottom Line?
Mt Mansbridge’s early high-grade heavy rare earth discoveries set the stage for a pivotal 2025 drilling campaign that could reshape RareX’s project trajectory.
Questions in the middle?
- What will the upcoming drilling reveal about the true extent and continuity of mineralisation?
- How will metallurgical characteristics impact the economic viability of Mt Mansbridge’s heavy rare earths?
- Can RareX leverage these results to accelerate development timelines amid growing critical minerals demand?