Eminence Minerals Broadens Campo Grande Drilling with New High-Priority Targets

Expansion of Drilling Footprint at Campo Grande

Eminence Minerals (ASX:EMA) is significantly expanding its auger drilling program at the 100%-owned Campo Grande Project in Bahia, Brazil. Following completion of the first phase targeting initial priority zones, the company is pushing eastward and introducing two new high-priority exploration targets in the northeast and south of the project area. This move aims to test geological models for ion-adsorption clay rare earth elements (REEs) and bauxite-gallium mineralisation.

The initial campaign saw 30 auger holes completed across Targets 2, 3, and 4, with drilling ongoing at Targets 5 and 6. Samples from Targets 3 and 4 are currently en route to SGS GEOSOL’s accredited laboratory in Brazil, with assay results anticipated in the September to October timeframe, subject to lab turnaround. Notably, no holes were drilled at Target 1, and drilling at Target 2 was discontinued early due to unsuitable regolith profiles and sample quality issues.

New Targets Reflect Diverse Mineralisation Models

The newly added Northeast Target is interpreted as a potential extension of the Amargosa Bauxite-Gallium trend, a significant geological feature adjoining Eminence’s tenure. The target lies on high, low-relief plateaus with preserved lateritic weathering profiles, inferred from elevated equivalent-thorium radiometric responses and lateritic index values. Up to 70 auger holes are planned here, with landowner access secured for eight drill collars, enabling immediate commencement of drilling on these sites.

Meanwhile, the South Target covers roughly 138 km² and shares similar geological signatures indicative of preserved weathering mantles, although it remains untested by drilling. A 67-hole auger program is proposed here, pending landowner access agreements. Both targets remain at an early exploration stage, with no assay data available to confirm mineralisation.

Operational Scale-Up and Ongoing Exploration

To accelerate the campaign, Eminence is mobilising a second drilling crew, which should increase the pace of target testing across the expanded footprint. Concurrently, surface sampling programs will broaden geochemical coverage, aiding in refining future drill targets across the Campo Grande tenure, which spans approximately 1,690 km² within the Rocha da Rocha Rare Earth Province.

The project neighbours tenure held by Brazilian Rare Earths Limited (ASX:BRE) and Alurion Resources Limited (ASX:ALU), though Eminence cautions that mineralisation on adjacent properties is not necessarily indicative of its own. The company’s CEO, Anthony Hills, highlighted the strategic importance of the expansion and the promising nature of the Northeast Target’s interpreted continuation of the Amargosa trend.

As drilling progresses at the new targets, assay results from earlier phases at Targets 3 and 4 will be pivotal in guiding subsequent exploration steps. The company plans to integrate these data with geological and geochemical information to refine exploration models and prioritise follow-up work.