Power Minerals has commenced a leach testing program on high-grade rare earth element (REE) samples from its Santa Anna niobium-REE project in Goiás State, Brazil.
The program, being conducted by independent laboratory SGS Geosol, is focused on assessing recovery rates and processing pathways from clay-rich weathered zones at the project.
Samples were sourced from Power’s maiden reverse circulation (RC) drilling program, which returned “exceptional high-grade clay-rich REE results and high-grade niobium intersections”.
A total of 23 samples, collected from six intervals across five separate drillholes, have been provided for testing. The drillhole samples average 0.75 per cent total rare earth oxides (TREO), or 7523 parts per million, and are considered representative of the high-grade weathered clay layer intersected at Santa Anna.
Several intervals exceeded 1.0 per cent TREO, while the broader drilling campaign delivered assays of up to 4.34 per cent TREO (43,385ppm), containing 26 per cent magnetic rare earth oxides (MREO).
These results include significant neodymium (Nd) and praseodymium (Pr), both critical elements for permanent magnets used in electric vehicles, wind turbines and defence technologies.
Power said only a small portion of the Santa Anna alkaline complex has been tested so far, with mineralisation confirmed both in near-surface clays and extending into fresh rock at depth. The company holds 100 per cent of the 17.05km² complex under two permits.
“The leach testing program is an important next step in our exploration pathway at the Santa Anna Project,” Power Minerals managing director Mena Habib said.
“The independent leach testing of high-grade REE samples from our recent drilling at Santa Anna will provide us with a clearer picture of what may be recovered in terms of the key light rare earth elements, neodymium and praseodymium, as well as niobium from the Santa Anna Complex.
“This testing is set to confirm REE weathered zone for ionic clays which will allow for processing pathways to be advanced.”
These results will help inform the company’s targeting for its planned ongoing drilling at the project, which aims to deliver a maiden mineral resource estimate subject to results. Habib said the leach testing results are anticipated to be available in the current month.
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