Commodities, Exploration/Development, News

Andromeda chasing a rare Great White akin to China

Andromeda

Andromeda Metals continues to diversify its Great White kaolin project in South Australia after assays returned elevated total rare earth oxides (TREOs).

At the Bronze Whaler prospect, drill hole TW19AC001 hit 18m at 1752 parts per million (ppm) TREO from 10m, including 5m at 2256ppm TREO from 18m. These were identified in the <45uq (less than 45 micrometres) size fraction.

The mineralisation suggests the potential of ion-absorption deposits (IAD) at Great White, with several similarities to Chinese IADs, which are the world’s primary source for heavy rare earth elements (REEs).

Andromeda has begun work to better understand Bronze Whaler’s REE formations and determine their leachability. The company will also obtain whole rock samples for analysis and investigate the REE potential in the broader region, largely through analysis of existing samples.

Andromeda has also released the maiden mineral resource estimate for its Tiger kaolin deposit within the Great White project, suggesting an indicated resource of 12.1 million tonnes (Mt) of kaolinised granite.

Tiger is expected to yield 7.24Mt of high bright kaolin product within the <45-micron recovered fraction.

The maiden mineral resource was derived from 45 air core (AC) drill holes spanning 2133 metres carried out in 2011. All holes drilled vertically to intersect the flat-lying mineralisation at right angles.

The drill-hole data defined a flat-lying kaolin deposit situated between 9m and 26m beneath the surface with an average depth of 17m.

Halloysite is not present in high enough levels to meet Andromeda’s overall minimum halloysite concentration of 10 per cent. As such, Tiger is classified as a medium-grade kaolin product suitable for general industrial use.

Andromeda is working towards the delivery of the Great White definitive feasibility study (DFS) and getting its Program for Environment Protection and Rehabilitation (PEPR) approved in 2022.

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