Power Minerals has pushed the boundaries of high-grade rare earth mineralisation at its Morro do Ferro project in Brazil, with drillhole MFSR-054 revealing continuous mineralisation to 186 metres and a new high-grade zone near the bottom of the sampled interval.
- Drillhole MFSR-054 hits 186m continuous rare earth mineralisation
- New high-grade zone identified at 184-186m with 7.85% TREO
- Mineralisation extends northeast beyond previous limits
- Assays pending for remaining 67.55m of drillhole
- Ongoing drilling and metallurgical test work underway
Record Depth for High-Grade Rare Earths
Power Minerals Limited (ASX:PNN) has unveiled a significant extension to the depth of rare earth oxide (REO) mineralisation at its Morro do Ferro project in Brazil. Drillhole MFSR-054 returned continuous mineralisation from surface down to 186 metres, including a standout 2-metre interval grading 7.85% total rare earth oxides (TREO) and 2.11% magnet rare earth oxides (MREO) near the deepest sampled section. This marks the deepest confirmed mineralised intersection on the deposit’s northeastern flank and reveals a new high-grade zone beneath previously reported intervals.
Three Distinct Mineralised Zones
The drilling delineated three separate REO zones within MFSR-054: an 88-metre near-surface zone averaging 6.33% TREO with 1.19% MREO; a moderate-grade 93-metre interval averaging 1.06% TREO; and a newly identified 5-metre high-grade zone averaging 4.32% TREO starting at 181 metres depth. The final 2 metres of this section, sampled between 184 and 186 metres, delivered the highest grades, underscoring the potential for further high-grade mineralisation at depth. Assays for the remaining 67.55 metres of the hole, which extends to 253.55 metres, are still awaited, leaving the full vertical extent open.
Strategic Northeast Extension
This drillhole was specifically designed to test the geometry of the deposit to the northeast, an area less explored in prior campaigns. The results confirm that mineralisation extends beyond the previously defined boundaries both vertically and along strike. The ongoing diamond drilling program, targeting approximately 25 holes and 4,000 metres, aims to build on these findings and refine geological models ahead of a maiden Mineral Resource estimate. The company is also advancing metallurgical test work to better understand processing characteristics.
Geological Insights and Next Steps
Preliminary observations suggest the mineralisation may be part of a hydrothermal system, with pervasive lateritic weathering and discrete magnetite veins hosting the REO minerals, primarily bastnasite and cerianite. Power Minerals’ CEO Alistair Stephens highlighted the importance of the result, noting the continuous 186 metres of mineralisation and the open-ended northeast strike. The company plans to complete pending assays, continue drilling, and progress metallurgical studies to underpin resource definition.
Laboratory and Sampling Rigor
The assays were conducted by SGS Geosol in Brazil using industry-standard lithium metaborate fusion ICP-OES/MS methods, ensuring comprehensive whole-rock analysis of 48 elements. Quality control measures included blind duplicates and laboratory repeats, with results well within acceptable limits. The half-core samples were carefully prepared to maintain representivity, with continuous sampling intervals averaging around two metres.
Bottom Line?
Power Minerals’ latest drill results deepen the Morro do Ferro deposit’s high-grade envelope and open new avenues for northeast expansion, but pending assays will be critical to confirm the full mineralisation extent.
Questions in the middle?
- Will the pending assays from the lower 67.55 metres reveal further high-grade zones or a tapering mineralisation profile?
- How will the ongoing metallurgical test work influence the economic viability of extracting magnet rare earth oxides from this deposit?
- What geological controls govern the newly identified deep high-grade zone, and could similar zones exist elsewhere in the complex?