Namibia Critical Metals Inc. has announced an updated NI 43-101 Mineral Resource Estimate for the large-scale “Lofdal 2B-4” heavy rare earth project.
The Company conducted a two-stage infill drilling campaign for the subprojects Area 4 and Area 2B with the purpose of increasing the confidence of the resources for the planned open pits of Area 4 and Area 2B.
The MSA Group provided an NI 43-101 Mineral Resource Estimate which includes the new data.
Darrin Campbell, President of Namibia Critical Metals stated: “We are very pleased with the continued success of our development approach at Lofdal. With just under 11,000 meters of drilling last year, we have increased the overall contained rare earth tonnage by an impressive 37%. The Measured and Indicated resource shells at Lofdal 2B and 4 contain over 4,500 tonnes Dysprosium oxide and over 690 tonnes Terbium oxide which clearly establishes Lofdal as a globally significant heavy rare earth deposit. The updated resource will be incorporated into our Pre-Feasibility Study for “Lofdal 2B-4″ currently under way and expected to be completed in Q3 2024.”
Contained tonnages of Dysprosium and Terbium – the most valuable heavy rare earth elements – amount to 4,503 tonnes Dysprosium oxide and 693 tonnes Terbium oxide in the combined Measured and Indicated Resource categories which represents an increase of 11% and 12%, respectively, compared to the previous Mineral Resource Statement and 38% increase in contained Dysprosium oxide and 39% increase in contained Terbium oxide in the Inferred Resources for the combined Area 4 and Area 2B deposits.
Results also show 31% increase in contained Total Rare Earth Oxide (TREO1) tonnage in the combined Measured and Indicated Resource categories from 72,680 tonnes to 93,731 tonnes while the combined Measured and Indicated Mineral Resources increased from 44.8 million tonnes at 0.17% TREO to 58.5 million tonnes at 0.16% TREO for the combined Area 4 and Area 2B deposits based on the same cut-off of 0.1 % TREO as in the previous PEA.
Samples were collected at the drill rig’s cyclone (“A-sample”) and submitted to Actlab’s preparatory laboratory in Windhoek, Namibia, in batches of 200 to 300 samples. The samples were dried and crushed to 2 mm, split using a riffle splitter and pulverised to 105 µm. Pulverised sub-samples were homogenised in a stainless-steel riffle splitter and a 15 g sample and duplicate were drawn for analysis. The pulverised sample aliquots were shipped to the ISO/IEC 17025 accredited Actlabs analytical facility in Ancaster, Ontario, Canada. The samples were assayed using lithium metaborate-tetraborate fusion and Inductively Coupled Plasma Mass Spectrometry (ICP-MS). Actlab’s analytical code “8-REE” includes 45 trace elements, 10 major oxides, Loss on Ignition, and mass balance.
The samples were subjected to a quality assurance and quality control (QAQC) program consisting of the insertion of blank samples, field duplicates and certified reference materials at Lofdal and the preparation of a laboratory duplicate at the sample preparation facility in Windhoek.
The Qualified Person, Dr Scott Swinden, is satisfied that the assay results are of sufficient accuracy and precision for use in the future update of the Mineral Resource Estimation.
The Mineral Resource was estimated using the Canadian Institute of Mining, Metallurgy and Petroleum (CIM) Best Practice Guidelines and is reported in accordance with the 2014 CIM Definition Standards, which have been incorporated by reference into National Instrument 43-101 – Standards of Disclosure for Mineral Projects (NI 43-101). The Mineral Resource is classified into the Measured, Indicated and Inferred categories and is reported at a cut-off grade of 0.1% total rare earth oxides (TREO)
Leave a Reply