How European Resources’ Korsnäs Drilling Unlocked High-Value Rare Earths
European Resources Limited has reported promising drill results with strong neodymium-praseodymium enrichment at its Korsnäs rare earth project in Finland, alongside advancing metallurgical test work aimed at optimising extraction processes.
- Completed six diamond drill holes totalling 1,326.2m at Korsnäs REE Project
- Strong NdPr enrichment up to 27% in multiple drill intersections
- High-grade rare earth oxides (TREO) exceeding 1% in West-1 zone
- Metallurgical test work progressing with ANSTO and REMHub partners
- Further assays pending and next phase of beneficiation test work planned
Drilling Success at Korsnäs
European Resources Limited has completed a focused diamond drilling campaign at its Korsnäs rare earth element (REE) project in Finland, delivering encouraging results that reinforce the project's potential. The six-hole program, totalling over 1,300 metres, targeted near-mine extensions and priority mineralised structures, including the West-1 zone and a gravity anomaly south of the mine.
Assays from four holes reveal broad zones of REE mineralisation with particularly strong enrichment in neodymium and praseodymium (NdPr), the higher-value rare earths critical for permanent magnets and clean energy technologies. Notably, drill hole KR-314 intersected 4 metres at over 1% total rare earth oxides (TREO), with NdPr enrichment around 27%, underscoring the quality of the mineralisation in the West-1 area.
Metallurgical Advances Underway
Alongside exploration, European Resources is advancing metallurgical test work to define efficient extraction and beneficiation pathways. The Australian Nuclear Science and Technology Organisation (ANSTO) has commenced pre-leach and acid bake testing on lanthanide concentrate samples, aiming to optimise rare earth recovery and impurity management.
Meanwhile, under the European Union-funded REMHub program, partners GTK and the University of Oulu are progressing drill core beneficiation and tailings flotation studies. These efforts focus on gravity, magnetic, and flotation separation techniques to produce representative concentrates suitable for downstream hydrometallurgical processing.
Looking Ahead
With assays pending for two additional drill holes and further metallurgical test work planned on fresh drill core composites, European Resources is positioning itself to refine resource estimates and processing strategies. Managing Director Jason Beckton emphasised the program's success in confirming mineral continuity and high-grade zones, while highlighting the importance of ongoing test work to unlock the project's full value.
The combination of strong NdPr grades and advancing metallurgy aligns Korsnäs with growing European ambitions for secure, high-quality rare earth supply chains amid global demand for clean energy materials.
Bottom Line?
Korsnäs is shaping up as a key European rare earth asset, but upcoming assay and metallurgical results will be pivotal for its next development phase.
Questions in the middle?
- What will the pending assay results reveal about the southern gravity anomaly target?
- How will metallurgical test outcomes influence the project's processing route and economics?
- What timeline is European Resources targeting for a maiden resource estimate update?
