ECLIPSE METALS LTD (ASX: EPM) (Eclipse Metals or the Company) has COMPLETED its maiden percussion drilling and trenching program at the Southwest Greenland multi-commodity project. The samples from the program have been shipped to the Eclipse Metals’ laboratory in Australia for further comprehensive analysis.
The team in Southwest Greenland has completed an X-ray fluorescence (XRF) analysis before shipping the samples. The XRF analysis revealed encouraging values of the praseodymium-to-neodymium ratio in the samples.
Results of the drilling and trenching program at Gronnedal
Analysis was performed using a portable X-ray fluorometer (pXRF) on five composite samples from drill holes L3–9. The samples revealed praseodymium-to-lanthanum and neodymium-to-cerium ratios of ~1.2:1.*
The low contents of lanthanum and cerium indicate that the mineralisation at Gronnedal has a higher proportion of commercially valuable REE. Through these numbers, Eclipse has interpreted that praseodymium and neodymium are enriched in drill holes L3–9. Praseodymium and neodymium are “magnet feeds” used to manufacture high-power magnets. These magnets are often used in the automotive and wind energy sectors.
The preliminary results at Gronnedal surpass the results in other known 4REE mineralisation. (4REE mineralisation is the percentage of the top 4 REEs measured at any site.) Comparative results are as follows:
- Gronnedal Pr and Nd mineralisation: 55% of the measured 4REE (La+Ce+Pr+Nd)
- Mount Weld CLD Pr and Nd mineralisation (Western Australia): 25% of the measured 4REE (La+Ce+Pr+Nd)
- Mountain Pass Pr and Nd mineralisation (California, USA): 17% of the measured 4REE (La+Ce+Pr+Nd)
This significant difference could have a positive impact on the basket price of the project. (Basket price is the sum of the proportions of individual REOs in the product × price of individual REOs).
Results of the drilling and trenching program at Ivigtut
ECLIPSE METALS analysed five mineralisation waste dumps from the Ivigtut mine to determine the mineral and chemical content. The analysis results reveal that the waste dumps have significant mineral contents that can be processed and sold.
Eclipse Metals has conducted two assessments before this on the waste dumps.
- Surface sample I21012 was conducted in MARCH 2022. The analysis of the sample revealed that the sample contained 165g/t silver, 0.15% copper, 3.83% lead, and 0.37% zinc.
- Eclipse also conducted a laboratory assessment of a historical drill core sample IVT 21–11(1). The analysis showed that the sample had 9.86% zinc.
The results have also shown high ratios of high-demand heavy-to-light REE. The samples will undergo chemical and petrological tests at Eclipse Metals’ Australian laboratory for potential commercial estimates. The samples were crushed before packaging.