Heavy Rare Earths Limited has reported significant assay results from its Radium Hill project, revealing high-grade scandium, yttrium, uranium, and rare earth elements along an 8km structural corridor. These findings bolster the company’s geological model and set the stage for accelerated exploration in 2026.
- 8km structural corridor at Radium Hill enriched with critical minerals
- High-grade scandium up to 959ppm and yttrium up to 2236ppm detected
- Multiple prospects including Bristowe’s, Railway, and Bonython Hill show strong mineralisation
- Historical data and aerial geophysics underpin refined geological model
- Company plans to accelerate exploration and drilling in 2026
A New Chapter for Radium Hill
Heavy Rare Earths Limited (ASX, HRE) has unveiled compelling assay results from its recent reconnaissance rock chip sampling program at Radium Hill, South Australia. The program targeted an 8-kilometre-long structural corridor extending from the historic Radium Hill uranium mine, revealing significant concentrations of critical minerals including scandium, yttrium, uranium, and a suite of rare earth elements.
The findings mark a pivotal moment for the company, which has long viewed Radium Hill as a promising critical minerals project. The high-grade scandium assays, reaching up to 959ppm Sc2O3, and yttrium values as high as 2236ppm Y2O3, are particularly noteworthy given the rising global demand for these elements in advanced technologies and clean energy applications.
Integrating Historical Insight with Modern Techniques
Heavy Rare Earths’ approach combined reinterpretation of aerial geophysical data collected earlier in 2025 with meticulous review of historical mining records dating back over a century. This integrated strategy has refined the understanding of a critical mineral corridor that aligns with the axial plane of a regional fold, outcropping intermittently along the strike.
Significant mineralisation was confirmed at multiple prospects along this corridor, including Bristowe’s, Railway, and Bonython Hill. For instance, the Railway Prospect, located just over 100 metres from the original Radium Hill deposit, returned assays of 0.36% uranium oxide alongside 253ppm scandium oxide and 1.26% total rare earth oxides, underscoring the continuity of mineralisation into HRE’s project area.
Strategic Implications and Next Steps
Chairman Gabriel Chiappini highlighted the significance of these results, noting that the corridor’s mineralisation extends beyond uranium to include valuable critical minerals that could enhance project economics. The company’s refreshed board is poised to accelerate exploration efforts, leveraging expert analysis from industry leaders such as Bob Johnson of Maptek and Professor Carl Spandler from the University of Adelaide.
Despite the promising surface sampling results, no drilling has yet been undertaken in the corridor for over six decades, presenting a substantial opportunity for discovery. Heavy Rare Earths plans to deploy systematic exploration, including geological mapping, scintillometer surveys, and targeted drilling in 2026 to delineate the resource potential more precisely.
These developments come amid a backdrop of rising scandium and yttrium prices, which could materially enhance the value proposition of the Radium Hill project. The company’s joint venture with Havilah Resources further supports its capacity to advance exploration and development activities in this mineral-rich region.
A Critical Minerals Future
Radium Hill’s historical legacy as Australia’s first uranium mine now intersects with a modern critical minerals renaissance. Heavy Rare Earths’ latest results not only validate its geological model but also position the company at the forefront of supplying minerals essential for emerging technologies. As the exploration program unfolds, investors and industry watchers will be keenly observing how these early surface assays translate into a defined resource and potential production pathway.
Bottom Line?
Heavy Rare Earths’ Radium Hill corridor is shaping up as a critical minerals hotspot, with 2026 exploration set to reveal its true potential.
Questions in the middle?
- Will upcoming drilling confirm the extent and grade continuity of scandium and yttrium mineralisation?
- How might rising global prices for scandium and yttrium impact the project’s economic viability?
- What are the regulatory and environmental hurdles for advancing Radium Hill towards development?