Exceptional Surface Results Confirm High-Grade Potential
RareX Limited (ASX: REE) has made significant strides in its exploration efforts at the Mt Mansbridge heavy rare earths project, with multiple high-grade discoveries positioning the company as a serious contender in the critical minerals sector. The RareX high-grade heavy rare earths discovery has delivered outstanding results from both rock chip sampling and soil geochemistry programs.
The most notable findings from the exploration programme include:
- Rock chip sample at Sigma Prospect yielding 2.7% TREO with 94% HREO and 13% DyTb
- Sample from new mineralised areas returning 1.7% TREO with 78% HREO and 10% DyTb
- Several samples exceeding 2% TREO with HREO percentages above 90%
These high-grade surface samples confirm the presence of significant heavy rare earth mineralisation at the project, which is located just 40km southwest of Northern Minerals' Browns Range heavy rare earth project.
"The boots on the ground approach by the RareXploration team has resulted in multiple HREO occurrences being discovered at the Mt Mansbridge Project. This systematic approach has led the team to focus on the most likely areas for mineralisation and has delivered some outstanding first pass results that highlight the HRE potential of Mt Mansbridge." – Jeremy Robinson, RareX Chairman
Strategic Exploration Targeting High-Value Heavy Rare Earths
RareX's exploration at Mt Mansbridge is specifically targeting hydrothermal heavy rare earth mineralisation similar to Northern Minerals' Browns Range deposit, as well as unconformity-related HRE mineralisation at the base of the Birrindudu Basin.
The exploration team conducted prospecting and soil sampling at several key prospects:
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Sigma Prospect – Rock chips taken at 8 locations along 250m of strike revealed 7 samples containing moderate to high-grade mineralisation, with exceptional heavy rare earth content averaging 90% HRE and 12% DyTb. Infill soil sampling confirmed a strong discrete anomaly over the mineralised zone.
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Mt Mansbridge Unconformity Prospect – Soil sampling on a 100m x 50m grid identified a coincident Y-Dy-U anomaly extending 400m across the ridge, suggesting significant HRE potential.
New Discoveries Expand Project Potential
The RareX high-grade heavy rare earths discovery continues to gain momentum with additional finds across the project area. Furthermore, the company's systematic exploration approach is yielding impressive results at multiple locations.
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Mt Mansbridge South Prospect – Three new mineralised areas were discovered, including an intermittently outcropping HRE-bearing quartz vein traced over 250m of strike with samples up to 1.7% TREO.
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T4 Prospect – A 60m hematitic quartz vein was identified with samples containing 0.2% TREO with 78% HREO and 9% DyTb.
Understanding Heavy Rare Earths: Critical Components for Modern Technology
Heavy rare earth elements (HREEs) represent the higher atomic weight members of the rare earth element family and are particularly crucial for advanced technologies. Elements like dysprosium (Dy) and terbium (Tb) are essential components in permanent magnets used in electric vehicles, wind turbines, and defence applications.
What makes these elements so valuable is their scarcity and the limited global supply, with China currently dominating production. The high percentages of dysprosium and terbium (DyTb) found at Mt Mansbridge are especially significant, as these are among the most valuable and strategically important rare earth elements.
The exceptional HREO percentages (up to 96%) and high DyTb content (up to 13%) in the RareX high-grade heavy rare earths discovery indicate a potentially world-class deposit focused on the most valuable rare earth elements rather than the more common light rare earths.
Strategic Location and Geological Setting
Mt Mansbridge is situated in a geologically favourable region, centred around an exposed dome of Killi Killi Formation and Pargee Sandstone. The project area features unconformity contacts with the surrounding Paleoproterozoic Birrindudu Basin, a geological setting that has proven favourable for heavy rare earth mineralisation.
The project is located in the Kimberley-Tanami region, which hosts only four known xenotime mineralisation occurrences: Browns Range, John Galt, Killi Killi, and Mt Mansbridge. The most significant of these is Northern Minerals' Wolverine deposit at Browns Range, which has a resource of 6.44 Mt at 0.96% TREO, with 89% being heavy rare earths.
Future Exploration Plans
RareX has outlined plans for further exploration at Mt Mansbridge in 2025, including:
- Additional surface geochemistry and prospecting
- Targeted drilling programs to test the identified mineralised zones
- Further delineation of the extent of mineralisation at the Sigma Prospect and other newly discovered areas
Why Does This Discovery Matter?
The RareX high-grade heavy rare earths discovery represents a significant development in Australia's critical minerals sector. Heavy rare earths are particularly valuable components in the global supply chain for high-technology applications.
However, unlike light rare earths which are more abundant, heavy rare earths are scarce and typically command premium pricing. The exceptional grades found at Mt Mansbridge suggest that RareX may have discovered a deposit with substantial economic potential.
Moreover, as global tensions around critical minerals supply chains continue to intensify, domestic Australian rare earth projects are gaining strategic importance for both national security and commercial reasons.
Investment Perspective: Why RareX Deserves Attention
The RareX high-grade heavy rare earths discovery is positioning the company as a significant player in the critical minerals sector, with multiple projects targeting rare earths and other strategic metals:
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Mt Mansbridge – A potentially significant heavy rare earths project with exceptional grades of the most valuable rare earth elements
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Cummins Range Project – A carbonatite-hosted rare earths and phosphate project with a post-tax NPV8 of over $330 million, described as "technically Australia's largest undeveloped rare earths project"
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Khaleesi Project – A district-scale, elevated gallium & niobium, alkaline intrusive complex
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Strategic Investments – Holdings in Kincora Copper (ASX:KCC), Cosmos Exploration (ASX:C1X), and Canada Rare Earth Corporation (LL.V)
What Makes the Mt Mansbridge Project Special?
The Mt Mansbridge project stands out for several key reasons that make the RareX high-grade heavy rare earths discovery particularly noteworthy:
Firstly, the extremely high proportion of heavy rare earths (up to 96% HREO) is almost unprecedented in global rare earth discoveries. Most rare earth deposits are dominated by the less valuable light rare earths, with heavy rare earths forming only a small percentage of the total.
Secondly, the elevated levels of dysprosium and terbium (up to 13% combined) represent the most valuable components within the rare earth family. These elements are critical for permanent magnets and face significant supply constraints globally.
Additionally, the project's location in a stable mining jurisdiction like Western Australia provides significant advantages compared to many international rare earth resources that may face geopolitical or regulatory challenges.
Looking Ahead: Next Steps for RareX
As RareX continues to develop the Mt Mansbridge project, investors will be watching closely for several key milestones:
- Results from additional surface sampling programs to further define the extent of mineralisation
- Initial drilling results to test the continuity and depth of the high-grade surface showings
- Preliminary resource estimates if drilling confirms significant mineralisation
- Metallurgical testing to determine processing options for the unique mineralisation style
The RareX high-grade heavy rare earths discovery represents an exciting development in Australia's critical minerals landscape, with potential significance for both the company and the broader rare earths supply chain.
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