Published On: February 1st, 2023
Eclipse Metals (ASX: EPM and FSE: 9EU) (Eclipse or the Company) has released its quarterly report highlighting the project advancements and other activities during the December 2022 quarter. Here are the updates on the activities carried out by Eclipse.
Multi-commodity Greenland Project Updates
Eclipse Metals has completed the maiden percussion drilling and trench sampling program at its SW Greenland multi-commodity project. Initial stages of exploration at Ivigtût mine precinct and Grønnedal carbonatite were completed in November 2022.
Grønnedal Carbonatite Complex
Thirty-one drill holes over a ~3.0km by ~1.5km area to vertical depths of between 3m and 22m were completed at the Grønnedal carbonatite complex, and trenches were excavated where drilling was impossible.
GREENLAND’S LOCATION MAP AND EXPLORATION DRILL TARGETS
The drill samples taken at Greenland were tested using a portable XRF (pXRF) analyser. Grønnedal carbonatite complex shows favourable praseodymium (Pr) and neodymium (Nd) ratios and may have global significance due to the presence concentrations of these two valuable rare earth elements.
The samples are yet to be analysed at an Australian laboratory for potential REE and other base metals. Though pXRF tests are not definitive, Eclipse believes that the preliminary results and previous laboratory results indicate a significant enrichment of the commercially more valuable REEs – Pr and Nd.
Previous rock chip samples and pXRF data also demonstrate unusual patterns of Pr/La and Nd/Ce ratios, around 55%, compared to other REE-mineralised carbonatite complexes such as Mountain Pass in California and Mt Weld, Western Australia.
Ivigtût
Samples from 5 mineralised waste dumps at the Ivigtût historical cryolite mine (previously indicated polymetallic nature of mineralisation) show a significant amount of mineralised material suitable for processing to recover saleable products.
Eclipse undertook a surface sampling program in areas of interest defined by remote sensing surveys. Sampling will be conducted in areas where satellite imagery analysis identified new targets at the Ivigtût multi-commodity project.
Commercial potential in waste dumps will be assessed with the help of chemical and petrological assessments of the bulk samples in Australia. Eclipse is considering a Ground Penetrating Radar (GPR) survey to assess the potential volume of mineralised waste material.
SIA and EIA Reports
Eclipse Metals has appointed a European consultancy to analyse and draft the Social Impact Assessment (SIA) and Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) reports. An initial draft scoping document is prepared by the consultancy for preliminary review.
Eclipse Metals’ Executive Chairman Carl Popal said – “work to be completed by a consultancy would be vital in progressing the Company’s development of the Ivigtût project and preparing a ‘white paper’ required for obtaining a mining licence from MLSA.”
Nt Uranium Project Updates
Liverpool Project
An ethnographic survey of ELAs 31065 and 31770 within the Liverpool group of tenements located in the Alligator Rivers Uranium province in the NT was completed in the second quarter of the financial year with the assistance of the Northern Land Council (NLC). Eclipse is discussing with NLC to note any sacred sites that need to be recorded in the Aboriginal Land Rights Agreement (ALRA) to negotiate with the traditional landowners as the Company progresses towards granting these tenements.
Ngalia Basin
Eclipse is negotiating an access agreement from the Central Land Council to permit limited exploration drilling on its granted tenements at Ngalia Basin.
Mary Valley Manganese Project
The application for a permit to collect bulk samples of manganese mineralised material at the Mary Valley Manganese project is currently being assessed by the local native claimant group.
Other Highlights of the Report
- Eclipse Metals announced dual listing on the Frankfurt Stock Exchange under the ticker [FSE: 9EU]. ASX will continue to be the primary exchange.
- The Annual General Meeting of Shareholders was held on 9 November 2022, and the resolutions put to shareholders at the annual general meeting were carried out on a poll.
Visit the company website for further updates.
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