Encounter Resources Identifies New REE Projects near Laverton in WA

THE DRILL SERGEANT: Encounter Resources (ASX: ENR) has joined the ranks of rare earth element (REE) aspirants by announcing it has secured 100 per cent of projects in the Laverton region of Western Australia.

Encounter Resources REE tale began in 2009, when the company conducted aircore drilling near Lake Irwin located north-west of Laverton following up a gold trend it had identified in auger drilling.

This program intersected anomalous REE in a felsic intrusion below a sequence of transported sands and clays.

At the time, only the lower portions of the holes, close to the cover/basement geological boundary, were analysed for REE, from which REE anomalism was identified that included 6 metres at 0.55 per cent total rare earth oxide (TREO) from 74m to end of hole in ELI0118, which was one of the deepest holes in the program.

With the historical drilling in mind, Encounter carried out an evaluation of regional geophysicsthat highlighted a series of anomalies it has interpreted to be intrusions.

In late 2022, Encounter applied for four tenements (approx. 800sqkms) to cover the REE targets identified at Irwin.

“The Encounter generative team has a well-established track record of moving early into new mineral belts,” Encounter Resources managing director Will Robinson said in the company’s ASX announcement.

“We were early to identify copper opportunities in the Greater McArthur Superbasin in the NT and a BHP and South32 have joined us as project partners.

“Encounter also moved early into the emerging West Arunta region where mineralised carbonatites have been discovered recently.

“REE projects have mounting strategic and economic importance for Australia.

“The confirmation of undercover REE mineralisation in historical drilling has important regional implications.

“Particularly given that the region contains the world-class Mt Weld REE mine.

“A series of geophysical anomalies have been identified and ground truthing of these anomalies has commenced.”

 

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