Critical metals exploration and development company MetalsGrove Mining (ASX:MGA), has launched a follow-up grid spaced soil sampling program at the Bruce rare earth prospect.

The Bruce prospect is located within the company’s Arunta Project, north of Alice Springs in the Northern Territory. As recently reported, the company’s maiden RC drilling program at Bruce confirmed high-grade REE carbonatite mineralisation.

Highlights from this maiden drilling program included carbonatite REE grades of up to 7,000 ppm (0.70%) TREO, 35% MREO/TREO, 28% NdPr/TREO and 36% Y2O3/TREO with multiple zones of mineralisation.

Drilling has also highlighted exceptionally high-grade carbonatite of 38% MREO/TREO, 58% HREO/TREO 28% NdPr/TREO and 36% Y2O3/TREO.

In addition, previously completed aeromagnetic and surface geochemistry work has defined a 1,000m X 600m intrusive system considered highly prospective for REE mineralisation.

Commenting on the next phase of sampling at the Bruce Prospect, MetalsGrove’s Managing Director Sean Sivasamy says: “We are delighted to have this next phase of follow-up exploration underway at the rapidly emerging Bruce REE Prospect in the Northern Territory. Both the sampling and drilling programs completed so far have been extremely encouraging and point to a potential high-grade REE mineralised system within our tenure.

This next phase of sampling will look to build on the recent drilling success and further refine our next suite of drill targets, as we move quickly to assess and unlock the potential of our prospects within the Arunta region.”

“This next phase of sampling will look to build on the recent drilling success and further refine our next suite of drill targets, as we move quickly to assess and unlock the potential of our prospects within the Arunta region“

Recent RC drilling and soil of carbonatite outcrops at Bruce have confirmed ‘high-grade’ REE mineralisation. The pegmatite and carbonatite outcrops at Bruce are generally highly weathered.

The company says the P1 soil sampling was completed on the high priority geophysical anomaly and carbonatite outcrops. The P2 grid spaced soil sampling will be carried out the remaining carbonatite outcrops and geophysical anomalies along the 9km carbonatite corridor.

This soil sampling program will take 10 days to complete. This detailed grid spaced soil sampling campaign at Bruce is to define targets for the upcoming phase two drilling programme.

Targets for drill testing will be finalised once results of the detailed soil sampling campaign are assessed. The phase two drill program for the REE targets is scheduled to commence at the end of Q3 CY2023.

MetalsGrove is an Australian-based exploration and development company, focused on the exploration and development of its portfolio of ‘high-quality’ lithium, rare earth, copper-gold, manganese and base metal projects in Western Australia and the Northern Territory.

Write to Adam Orlando at Mining.com.au

Images: MetalsGrove