Australian Rare Earths Identifies Niobium-Rare Earth Carbonatite System at Overland

Australian Rare Earths (ASX:AR3) has uncovered a new niobium and rare earth mineral system at its 100%-owned Overland project in South Australia, stumbled upon while drilling for uranium. A 22-hole aircore program near Sedan failed to return significant uranium, but one hole punched into basement beneath a large magnetic anomaly and hit 19m at 0.61% TREO — with zones up to 1.16% TREO and 0.53% niobium pentoxide — before ending at 105m still in mineralisation.

The geochemistry points to a carbonatite system, with neodymium and praseodymium making up about 20% of the rare earth content and dysprosium and terbium, used in high-performance magnets, adding a further 1.7%. SEM work has also confirmed pyrochlore, the world's principal niobium ore mineral. AR3 now plans further magnetic and gravity modelling ahead of RC and diamond drilling to test the untested anomaly. CEO Travis Beinke called it an unexpected expansion of the company's critical minerals exposure, while stressing the single-hole result needs follow-up and that Koppamurra remains the company's top priority.

Read the full article here: https://smallcaps.com.au/article/australian-rare-earths-identifies-niobium-rare-earth-carbonatite-system-at-overland