Aruma Resources Limited (ASX: AAJ) (Aruma or the Company) is pleased to announce the commencement of its Rare Earth Elements (REE) fieldwork program at the Saltwater Project in the Pilbara region of Western Australia.
The Saltwater Project consists of four granted Exploration Licences (EL52/3818, EL52/3846, EL52/3857 and EL52/3966)) over a total area of 450km2 , situated approximately 120km south-west of the regional mining centre of Newman. The Project sits within an emerging REE province, where Dreadnought Resources (ASX: DRE) holds a significant landholding with its Bresnahan REE Project, which surrounds Aruma’s Saltwater Project area. Previous exploration by U308 Limited (U308) in 2010, returned extremely high REE assay results of up to 11% rare earths at the Sirius and Lavanto prospects within the area (in grab samples – refer open file WAMEX report A88669). Other REE occurrences have been recorded at Saltwater in drill holes and surface samples
REE Field Work Program
Aruma’s first phase of field work consists of a field mapping program and an extensive geochemical surface sampling program for both light and heavy REE, over an interpreted strike of in excess of 80km of prospective stratigraphy. This is supported by mapped outcrop identified from a reconnaissance site visit by Aruma. The sampling program will commence at a high-priority radiometric target with a strike length of up to 15km, situated west of the Nobby’s prospect. Selected samples from this initial phase of sampling will be sent for laboratory analysis.
Subject to results, targets will be defined for a maiden REE-focused drilling program. The Company will adopt a systematic approach to the sampling program which will see it progressively test the interpreted 80km strike. In parallel with its REE focus, Aruma will also adopt a multi-commodity approach to its fieldwork at Saltwater and will assess the base and precious metals prospectivity. Material results from the surface sampling program will be released to the market as they become available.
Aruma’s Managing Director, Glenn Grayson, commented: ‘We are excited by the REE potential of the Saltwater Project, which we are of the view represents a significant under explored REE opportunity in what is as an emerging REE province. We have defined an extensive interpreted strike of 80km which will be systematically explored for its REE potential, and we believe that our ground holding is amongst the most prospective REE tenure in the region. Given the burgeoning demand for critical rare earth elements, our fieldwork is designed to aggressively and systematically unlock the REE potential of the Project.’
The exploration model for the REE is the Unconformity model. The prospective stratigraphy sits below the Bresnahan – Wyloo Unconformity of which the Saltwater Project has approximately 80km of strike. This model has been used successfully in the exploration for hard rock REE deposits within Western Australia, most notably by Northern Minerals at their Browns Range Project. Initial focus for exploration at Saltwater will be on the stratigraphy immediately below this major unconformity with a systematic approach of surface mapping and sampling, using magnetic and radiometric data geophysics with follow up drilling and further geophysics.
Background to Saltwater Project
The Saltwater Project was originally pegged by Aruma in 2020 for its gold prospectivity, and its exploration at the Project to date has been gold-focused and has included two phases of reverse circulation (RC) drilling within a targeted area of the Project. The Company undertook an assessment of historic exploration within the Project area, which revealed REE, base metals, gold and uranium results from previous explorers in the Saltwater region. This included the high REE assays results previously reported by U308. U308’s exploration also delivered grades of up to 3.1% Cu (copper), 1.4% Pb (lead), 1.5% V (vanadium) and 2 g/t Au (gold) in samples from costeans at the Nobbys prospect, and Aruma plans to pursue the multi-commodity potential of the Project area in its fieldwork programs. More recently, Dreadnought has accumulated a significant landholding at its Bresnahan Project, immediately adjacent to Aruma’s Saltwater Project area. Dreadnaught has delivered highly encouraging initial REE exploration results, with significant light and heavy REE results returned from reconnaissance surface samples along major basement structures (DRE: ASX announcement, 8 February 2023)
About Aruma Resources
Aruma Resources Limited (ASX: AAJ) is an ASX-listed minerals exploration company focused on the exploration and development of a portfolio of prospective gold and lithium projects, strategically located in major, active mineralised belts in Western Australia. Its core assets include the Mt Deans Lithium Project in the lithium corridor of south-eastern WA, the Salmon Gums Gold Project in the Eastern Goldfields and the multi-commodity Saltwater Project in the Pilbara region.
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