Dreadnought Resources (ASX:DRE) is conducting exploration reverse circulation drilling at the Two Peaks, Popeye, and Diamonds gold prospects in Western Australia, after hitting thick, high-grade niobium from the Gifford Creek Carbonatite.
Assays have been received from four holes out of 19 reverse circulation holes drilled from the Stinger niobium prospect.
Some of the assays recorded include 50m @ 0.9% niobium pentoxide, including 20m @ 1.3% niobium pentoxide and 66m @ 0.4% niobium pentoxide, with 15m @ 15% phosphorus pentoxide.
Managing Director Dean Tuck says the Gifford Creek Carbonatite has produced some of Western Australia’s best niobium intercepts outside the Arunta province.
“This program has delivered our thickest and highest grade intercept to date,” Tuck says.
“These results support our staged approach to assessing the Gifford Creek Carbonatite and highlight the significant potential at Stinger to host high-grade mineralisation.
“Next steps at Stinger include assessment of oxide mineralisation and identifying the fresh rock source of the niobium.”
Niobium is a critical mineral primarily used in high strength, low alloy steel with application to renewables, infrastructure and vehicles.
Meanwhile, once exploration drilling at the gold prospects is completed, infill resource drilling will be carried out at the Star of Mangaroon.
Assays from this drilling program are expected later next month.
Tuck says the company continues to see the potential for Mangaroon to evolve as a multi-commodity critical metals hub within proximity to existing infrastructure.
“We look forward to receiving the remaining assays from this program and designing follow-up programs after our gold and base metal drilling, which is currently underway.”
The Mangaroon Project covers more than 5,300km2 of the Mangaroon Zone in the Gascoyne region of Western Australia.
The project comprises a more than 45km long money intrusion prospective for nickel-copper-cobalt-platinum group elements, a 17km ong Gifford Creek Carbonatites, a 10km by 15km gold camp, and a 43km long rare earths Yin Ironstone.
Write to Aaliyah Rogan at Mining.com.au
Images: Dreadnought Resources