Aldoro Resources has further highlighted the high-grade rare earth element potential at its Kameelburg project in Namibia with outstanding niobium results obtained from a new sampling program.
In the lead-up to a drilling campaign in the new year, Aldoro has obtained further high-grade niobium results with all 6 dyke sample assays recently acquired from Kameelburg returning from 5.8% to 9.03% niobium oxide (Nb2O5).
The six rock chip samples were collected from a niobium-rich (pyrochlore) dyke on the margin of the carbonatite and prepared and exported to ALS Perth laboratory for analysis.
The results have successfully highlighted the potential of the area around the periphery of the Kameelburg REE-rich carbonatite, known to contain niobium-rich dykes with historical samples reporting up to 4.75% Nb2O5.
A recent investigation at this peripheral dyke revealed an outcrop striking at 315 degrees over 15m, up to 0.5m wide and dipping to the east at 62 degrees.
Drilling plans firming up
The company has commenced negotiations with local drill contractors to follow up the positive sampling campaign with the aim of gaining further understanding of the extent of niobium enrichment within the peripheral dyke.
Aldoro also plans to investigate additional dykes along peripheral zones of the Kameelburg carbonatite, with the intention of identifying further niobium potential within the entire project region.
The sampling program is part of the company’s plan to build a more accurate geological map using GPS positioning, recording dyke widths, strike, dip with unit description to obtain a greater understanding of the complex, and more importantly the distribution of the mineralisation.
It will also be utilised in 2D modelling and the positioning of drill collars and feed into the 3D resource modelling.
Positive metallurgical results
Earlier this month, Aldoro received positive head assays for the Kameelburg metallurgical samples in tests conducted at a Bureau Veritas laboratory in Perth.
A total of seven drill core samples have been bench tested, including sic samples for targeting rare earth elements (REEs) and one for niobium from the Kameelburg carbonatite.
Aimed producing a commercial grade concentrate, the head assays produced total rare earth oxides TREO (+Y) ranging from 1.08 to 3.53 %, with the niobium sample assaying 0.74% Nb2O5.
Niobium a critical metal
Niobium has been identified by a number of countries as a metal that is critical to the world’s future development of new energy and medical technologies.
It becomes a superconductor at very low temperatures and when alloyed with titanium (NbTi) or tin (Nb3Sn), it produces the superconducting magnets used in magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scanners, nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) equipment and particle accelerators such as the Large Hadron Collider at CERN1.
The US Geological Survey (USGS) says niobium is considered critical and strategic metal based on the potential risks to their supply (because current production is restricted to only a few countries) and the significant effects that a restriction in supply would have on the US’ defense, energy, high-tech industrial and medical sectors.
