EXPLORATION UNDERWAY AT IVIGTÛT AND GRØNNEDAL
Eclipse Metals (ASX: EPM) (‘Eclipse Metals Limited’ or the ‘Company’) is progressing with its drilling and sampling program at Ivigtût along with activities in the Ivigtût mine precinct and Grønnedal carbonatite in southwest Greenland.
In the first exploration stage at the Ivigtût Project in Greenland, the Company has drilled a total of 538m in 40 holes. Thirty-one percussion holes for 427m were drilled on the Grønnedal REE project, and nine percussion holes for 111m were drilled at the Ivigtût mine, targeting host rocks of the cryolite and fluorite deposit.
Executive chairman Carl Popal supervised the exploration and trenching process with assistance from Greenlandic geological consultants, drilling, and earthmoving contractors. Eclipse aims to collect sub-surface samples of the Rare Earth Elements (REE) – bearing carbonatite formation with the help of recently developed geophysical and remote sensing models and to obtain samples of the Ivigtût mine waste-rock.
Extensive pitting and trenching of waste dumps are being carried out at the Ivigtût cryolite mine performed to evaluate the array of mineralisation styles, host lithologies, and grades of mined material.
Five trenches measuring 20m long, on 25m spacing, have been excavated on the Ivigtût waste dumps. The dumps will be prioritized based on grade and tonnage potential.
Also Read: Eclipse Metals Begins New Studies for Ivittuut License Application
Grønnedal Carbonatite Complex
Earlier in March, Eclipse obtained multiple REE results at Grønnedal that could contain significant light and heavy REE mineralisation.
Eclipse aims to re-test known magnetite mineralisation and obtain fresh samples of carbonatite and a magnetic dolerite dyke to appraise the content of rare earth elements.
The Company has completed 31 drill holes over a ~3.0km by ~1.5km area to depths between 3m and 22m at the Grønnedal Carbonatite Complex. The trench samples of in-situ rock formations excavated are being prepared for shipment to Australia.
ALTERED MAGNETITE WITH PINK MINERAL, POSSIBLY BASTNASITE
Ivigtût Mine Precinct
Ivigtût is known for its historical production of 3.8Mt of high-grade cryolite. Eclipse Metals has set an exploration target between 870,000t and 916,200t of cryolite mineralisation grading between 16.0% and 17.7% Cy. The target is based on actual exploration and historical drill results.
Eclipse has also identified the unique mineral cryolithionite recognised only at Ivigtût. Visual estimates imply substantial tonnage potential for mine waste-rock containing visible cryolite, fluorite, quartz, zinc sphalerite, and lead mineral galena.
The dumps are to be assessed for the content of other potentially economic minerals, including REE, lithium, and tin.
Eclipse Metals has collected and prepared approximately 5 tonnes of bulk samples from five trenches in the dumps for shipment to Australia. Regarding current drilling, nine holes were drilled close to the mine to obtain fresh samples for assessment of the geological setting and potential REE content.
Visit the Company’s website for further updates on the results of the exploration program.
Also Read: Eclipse Metals Ltd.: Application for a Drilling Permit at Grønnedal-Ika