Substantial Increase in REE Prospectivity at Condingup WA
Released
Released
Announcement PDF
Substantial Increase in REE Prospectivity,
Drilling to Commence Condingup WA
24 July 2023
Following an incredibly successful rock chip sampling field programme, Emu NL
(ASX:EMU) (“EMU” or “the Company”) is excited to announce results of its recently completed
first pass, Passive Seismic Survey (PSS) at its 100% owned Condingup Project near Esperance WA.
The survey, conducted during June and July, was initiated to test for depth of clays, identify “clay
trap zones” and to determine drill depths in areas overlaying and adjacent to the highly fertile
clay hosted Rare Earth Element (REE) Booanya Granite suite. Passive seismic surveys were also
completed at EMU’s REE Viper, Graceland and Merredin discoveries.
HIGHLIGHTS
1
Substantially enhanced exploration potential, with the identification of multiple,
kilometre scale (3 to +6km wide), shallow clay traps to 100m depth associated
with the Booanya Granites.
Targeted aircore drilling programme to test the clay hosted REE enrichment at
Condingup.
The PSS confirms EMU’s conceptual modelling of weathered zones surrounding
and overlaying the highly fertile REE Booanya Granites.
Multiple target areas revealed by the survey with interpreted clay depths ranging
between as little as 20m down to 100m and pointing to significant clay trap zones
identified for follow up drilling.
A wide 6km+ paleo channel identified on the eastern margin of the most westerly
Booanya Granite intrusions, presents an excellent, large scale “walk-up” clay-trap
drill target.
Walk up drill targets include substantial, repeated, 3-4km wide “flank” clay trap
zones surrounding the intrusive Booanya plutons. The identified flank traps are
likely to exhibit economically significant REE enrichment based on results recorded
from EMU’s rock sample programmes1.
A number of Booanya Granite intrusions are yet to be tested by the PSS
methodology. It is expected potential REE clay traps might be identified in
subsequent surveys thereby enhancing prospectivity in these areas.
Emu has demonstrated passive seismic surveying to be a powerful geophysics
technique to identify depths of weathered lithologies overlaying bedrock. The
surveys provide the foundation for targeted drill collar locations in the identified
clay traps, significantly reducing exploration drill costs.
ASX Release “Assays Confirm Magnetic and Heavy Rare Earth Fertility” 14 March 2023
ABN 50 127 291 927 | 10 Walker Avenue, West Perth, WA, 6005 | PO Box 1112, West
Perth, WA, 6872 E: info@emunl.com.au | www.emunl.com.au | ASX Code: EMU
Comparisons between EMU’s survey, open-source gravity and airborne
electromagnetic surveys have enhanced drill targeting in areas where EMU is
seeking broader concentrated REE clay trap zones which may lead to large
economic resource envelopes.
Passive seismic surveys have now been completed at each of our 4 REE discovery
projects in WA; namely, Condingup, (near Esperance), Viper (near Jerramungup),
Graceland (near Hyden) and Merredin (30kms north of that regional centre).
Each of the surveys has produced highly successful outcomes in terms of drill
vectoring, laying the foundation for numerous drill programmes.
Peter Thomas, EMU’s Chairman, comments:
“EMU’s Passive Seismic Survey programme, which was conducted over our WA based REE
discovery projects, has provided us with resounding success, adding to the weight of evidence
suppor ng EMU’s conceptual modelling for poten al REE clay trap hosted zones at each of the
projects. The surveys have provided us with walk up drill targets at all of our REE projects through
the defini on of vectors to loca ons of shallow broad trap zones with poten ally economically
enriched concentra ons of REE.
At Condingup, highly significant broad clay zones have been interpreted for immediate walk-up
drilling targets including an interpreted clay paleo-channel more than 6kms wide, open to the
east, north and south. Broad, 3-4km wide, clay traps zones surrounding the “flanks” of Booanya
granite plutons surveyed, present as highly prospec ve drill targets.
The Board has requested an immediate aircore drilling programme to test the clay hosted REE
enrichment at Condingup.”
Passive Seismic Surveys
Passive seismic surveying is a geophysics method used to determine the depth of weathered,
oxidised material which overlies basement rock. EMU, working with its Geophysics Consultants,
Resource Poten als, has completed passive seismic surveys at its Condingup, Viper, Graceland
and Merredin REE Projects. The programme was ini ated following results recorded from assays
of EMU’s rock chip sampling programmes at its projects and from RC drilling programmes (drilled
targe ng other commodi es) at Graceland and Viper. The PSS were directed at delinea ng the
most prospec ve areas for aircore drilling.
Figure 1. Passive Seismic Survey cross sec on of Merivale Road showing Flank, Internal and
Paleochannel Clay Traps iden fied in the passive seismic survey. The magnitude of the
prospec vity is demonstrated by the 20km length of this cross sec on. Loca on of Line 01 in
Figure 3. below
Conceptual modelling of clay hosted REE’s, supported by substan al evidence from elevated REE
results in clay hosted REE explora on areas, suggests concentra ons of REE are formed in the
saproli c, deeper trap zones surrounding fer le host rocks. (See Figure 2). The surveys support
EMU’s modelling at our REE projects and has added further prospec vity for economic
concentra ons of REE by the indica on of significant, broad trap zones. The success of the
surveys now provides EMU with confidence to ini ate a scien fically targeted and cost effec ve
aircore drilling programme at Condingup.
Figure 2. Conceptual Model showing types of clay traps and possible concentra ons of REE.
Condingup REE Project
A maiden aircore drill programme at Condingup to target clay trap zones surrounding and
overlying the Booanya granite plutons is to be ini ated forthwith. The interpreted surrounding
“flank clay traps” provide excellent targets as they are located adjacent to the host rocks and
present as shallow, highly weathered clays.
A seismic line, tes ng clay depths along Merivale Road, Condingup (Figure 1), has reported a
wide, shallow north – south striking paleochannel. The paleochannel, which is closed out to the
west but otherwise open to the north, south and east, provides EMU with an extensive,
outstanding walk-up drill target, being adjacent to the western most, Booanya granites REE host.
Based on the modelling of concentra ons of REE and the yet to be determined boundaries of the
paleo channel, the magnitude of the REE target zone here could be significant.
Line 01
Figure 3. Passive seismic survey lines overlying Booanya Granite intrusions.
The survey conducted at Condingup has confirmed clay trap zones with depths interpreted
between 20-100m. The iden fied shallow nature of the clay traps presents as one of the more
highly desirable aspects of clay hosted REE deposits for mining.
Following rock chip sampling programmes, assays confirmed the fer lity of the Booanya Granites
(Figure 4). EMU believes the planned 3,000m, maiden aircore drilling programme will likely yield
higher concentra ons of REE than the results reported from its rock and clay sampling
programmes.2
2
ASX Release “Significant REE Values, Project Footprint Extended Condingup” 4 May 2023
Open-source gravity survey and airborne electromagne c survey informa on was overlaid with
results from EMU’s passive seismic survey. Informa on from the combined overlay, confirms and
reinforces the passive seismic survey results and further supports the accuracy of clay depths and
prospec ve drill areas.
EMU an cipates that the aircore drilling programme will commence late August, early September
2023 with the earliest results expected towards the end of September or in early October. Drill
collar loca ons will be established along the passive seismic survey lines and the ac vity will be
confined by access approvals and administra ve processes. Whilst comple ng the drill
programme EMU will sample drill cu ng material for metallurgical analysis.
About the Condingup Rare Earth Project
The 100% owned Condingup Rare Earth Project is located just 35kms southeast of ASX:OD6’s
Splinter Rock Project. That project is achieving success in a similar geological se ng within REE
enriched Booanya suite granites.
EMU’s Condingup Project, accessible by sealed roads, is situated just 60kms from the port of
Esperance and essen al infrastructure. Esperance is widely projected to become a central hub
for major renewable energy and green hydrogen produc on and is located within a well-regarded
explora on/mining support jurisdic on.
The 1,560 square kilometre Condingup Rare Earth Project overlies saprolite, clay enriched rare
earth soils, and covers REE enriched, geologically significant Booanya granite suite plutons. The
project tenements are located directly over what EMU considers to be some of the most
prospec ve and highly fer le clay hosted REE granite suites in the Esperance region.
Figure 4. Condingup REE Project highligh ng extensive regional land holding and broad
REE mineralisa on determined from a number of high value Total Rare Earth Oxides
(TREO’s) sampled from outcropping rocks including Booanya granites.
RELEASE AUTHORISED BY THE BOARD
For further informa on, please contact:
Doug Grewar
Chief Execu ve Officer
Emu NL
info@emunl.com.au
Investors can sign into our interac ve investor hub and join in on the conversa on with Emu
NL.
h ps://investorhub.emunl.com.au/auth/signup
EMU Investorhub QR Code
Emu NL
ABN 50 127 291 927
ASX Codes: EMU and EMUCA
10 Walker Ave
West Perth, WA 6005
T +61 8 9226 4266
E info@emunl.com.au
PO Box 1112
West Perth, WA 6872
Fully paid shares (listed)
1,450,021,079 (including 18.6m the
subject of the ATM which EMU can buy
back for nil consideration)
Contributing Shares (listed)
40,485,069 paid to $0.03, $0.03 to pay,
no call before 31 December 2023
Contributing Shares (Unlisted)
35,000,000 paid to $0.0001, $0.04 to
pay, no call before 31 December 2025
Options (unlisted)
172,453,621 options to acquire fully paid
shares, exercisable at $0.01 each, on or
before 7 October 2024
Performance Rights (Unlisted)
48,571,429 performance rights in
relation to acquisition of Gnows Nest
project
Directors:
Peter Thomas
Non-Executive Chairman
Terry Streeter
Non-Executive Director
Gavin Rutherford
Non-Executive Director
Tim Staermose
Non-Executive Director
Investor enquiries:
Doug Grewar CEO
M +61 419833604
E info@emunl.com.au
COMPETENT PERSON’S STATEMENT
The informa on in this report that relates to
explora on results is based on, and fairly represents
informa on and suppor ng documenta on prepared
by Kur s Dunstone, a Competent Person who is a
Member of the Australian Ins tute of Geoscien sts.
Mr Dunstone is an employee of EMU NL and has
sufficient experience in the ac vity which he is
undertaking to qualify as a Competent Person as
defined in the 2012 edi on of the “Australasian Code
for Repor ng of Explora on Results, Mineral
Resources and Ore Reserves”. Mr Dunstone consents
to the inclusion herein of the ma ers based upon his
informa on in the form and context in which it
appears.
FORWARD LOOKING STATEMENTS
As a result of a variety of risks, uncertain es and
other factors, actual events and results may differ
materially from any forward looking and other
statements herein not purpor ng to be of historical
fact. Any statements concerning mining reserves,
resources and explora on results are forward looking
in that they involve es mates based on assump ons.
Forward looking statements are based on
management’s beliefs, opinions and es mates as of
the respec ve dates they are made. The Company
does not assume any obliga on to update forward
looking statements even where beliefs, opinions and
es mates change or should do so given changed
circumstances and developments.
NEW INFORMATION OR DATA
EMU confirms that it is not aware of any new
informa on or data that materially affects the
informa on included in the original market
announcements and, in the case of es mates of
Mineral Resources, which all material assump ons
and technical parameters underpinning the es mates
in the relevant market announcement con nue to
apply and have not materially changed. The Company
confirms that the form and context in which the
Competent Person’s findings are presented have not
materially changed from the original market
announcement.
- END -
Share your feedback
Discover