iTech Minerals to Uncover Rare Earth Element Potential at Eyre Peninsula Project

iTech Minerals has released historical drill results from the last batch of resampling at its Ethiopia property, revealing additional rare earth element potential at its Eyre Peninsula kaolin project in South Australia.

The battery and key minerals explorer said the latest beneficiation samples are the best report to date and show an increase in the thickness and extent of rare earth element mineralization across the exploration area. 

The results of the survey report show that 32 meters of total rare earth oxides (TREO) were returned from the surface at 1,633 ppm, including 1,966 ppm TREO from 24 meters returned at 4 m. The company reports, "Rare earths in hole ETH-029 continue to show high concentrations of neodymium and praseodymium enrichment, which is essential for the production of electric vehicles and renewable energy for permanent magnets."

"Significantly, this drill hole also showed greater enrichment (~36%) of high value heavy rare earths. The beneficiation process of sieving the bulk sample to obtain the -45 µm (less than 45 microns) clay fraction increased the rare earth grade to 153-311%."

iTech has now sent representative samples from its Ethiopia and Salt Creek sites to the Australian Nuclear Science and Technology Organization in Sydney for scoping test work. The primary objective is to assess the leachability of rare earths under typical desorption conditions applicable to ionic clay deposits.

Mike Schwarz, Managing Director of iTech, said, "The test work being conducted by ANSTO will be a good first step in determining the extent to which REEs can be ion-leached. As good grades and thick intervals persist in the kaolin-rich clays of Ethiopia, it is now important to determine how to recover the rare earth element in a cost-effective manner."

The Eyre Peninsula Kaolin Project occurs over 1,445 square kilometres and has six halloysite-kaolinite prospects. The project area is just 30km from shipping facilities at Lucky Bay and 70 kilometres from the industrial mining city of Whyalla. Results are expected before drilling begins in mid-February. The company said it will soon release further details on the drilling program and timing on the Eyre Peninsula.

iTech Minerals Ltd is a speculative exploration company aiming to explore and develop mineral assets formerly owned by Archer Minerals Limited. iTech Minerals has assembled a highly experienced board, technical team and established a number of key collaborations and partnerships with world renowned industry experts to help rapidly advance its projects.

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