115.65m at 3.34% TREO and 0.34% Nb2O5: Araxá Drilling Breaks New Ground
St George Mining reports a record 115.65m intercept of high-grade rare earths and niobium from surface at its Araxá Project, underpinning a major resource upgrade and expansion potential.
- Record 115.65m intercept at 3.34% TREO and 0.34% Nb2O5 from surface
- Multiple broad, consistent high-grade zones confirmed in recent drilling
- Supports significant upgrade from Inferred to Indicated Mineral Resource category
- Resource remains open for expansion with ongoing drilling and assays pending
- Strong government and local support aiding project development prospects
A New Benchmark at Araxá
St George Mining Limited has announced its thickest high-grade rare earth and niobium intercept to date at the Araxá Rare Earths and Niobium Project in Brazil. The standout result comes from drill hole AXDD016, which returned an impressive 115.65 metres grading 3.34% total rare earth oxides (TREO) and 0.34% niobium pentoxide (Nb2O5) from surface. This intercept includes even higher-grade intervals, such as 10 metres at 6.39% TREO and 0.74% Nb2O5, underscoring the project's exceptional mineralisation continuity.
Consistent High-Grade Mineralisation Across Multiple Holes
Additional drill holes AXDD012 and AXDD013 also delivered thick, consistent zones of mineralisation, with 100.1 metres at 3.96% TREO and 0.40% Nb2O5, and 79.7 metres at 3.69% TREO and 0.40% Nb2O5 respectively. These results reinforce the robustness of the Araxá geological model and highlight the potential for a substantial increase in the Mineral Resource Estimate (MRE), which already ranks as one of the highest-grade carbonatite-hosted rare earth deposits globally.
Resource Upgrade and Expansion Potential
The new drilling results provide critical evidence to support upgrading a significant portion of the resource from the lower-confidence Inferred category to the higher-confidence Indicated category. This upgrade is a vital step toward defining Ore Reserves and advancing feasibility studies. Moreover, the mineral system remains open in all directions, including at depth and laterally, with ongoing drilling campaigns scheduled to continue through 2025 and into 2026. Notably, step-out drilling west of the current resource boundary has intersected mineralisation 80 metres beyond the existing footprint, opening new zones for resource growth.
Strategic Positioning and Support
Located in Minas Gerais, Brazil, Araxá benefits from proximity to established niobium operations and access to infrastructure and skilled labor. St George Mining has secured government backing for expedited permitting and is actively engaged with local authorities to facilitate project development. The company’s participation in Brazil’s MagBrasS Initiative further aligns Araxá with national efforts to build a sustainable rare earth supply chain, enhancing its strategic importance.
Looking Ahead
With a large volume of assays from 32 additional diamond drill holes pending, the market can anticipate further updates that may materially enhance the resource base. The combination of thick, high-grade mineralisation from surface and ongoing exploration success positions Araxá as a compelling rare earth and niobium asset with significant upside potential.
Bottom Line?
St George Mining’s latest drilling success at Araxá sets the stage for a major resource upgrade and sustained growth trajectory.
Questions in the middle?
- How will pending assay results from 32 drill holes impact the overall resource estimate?
- What are the timelines and risks associated with securing final mining and environmental approvals?
- How might royalty structures and government policies influence the project’s economic viability?
