Krakatoa Resources Ltd (ASX:KTA) has taken the magnifying glass to rare earth targets across its Mt Clere property in WA’s Yilgarn Craton.
A systematic reconnaissance, mapping and geochemical program is underway focused on regional greenfield prospects as the company defines the scope of its near 1,800-square-kilometre tenement package.
Krakatoa hopes to reap the same rewards that led to its Tower Project discovery, which quickly morphed into a 101-million-tonne, 840-part-per-million total rare earth oxide (TREO) resource late last year.
Simultaneously, the explorer has rolled out metallurgical test-work programs over the Tower resource envelope, aiming to refine its process design and prepare the rare earths camp for the next phase of exploration and development.
WA’s biggest clay-hosted REE resource
Krakatoa CEO Mark Major said it was great to be back in the field undertaking more discovery-based work, where 80% of the company’s landholding remains underexplored.
“Last year’s field program resulted in the discovery of the Tower Project … which positions Mt Clere as the biggest clay-hosted rare earths resource in Western Australia."
“The future for Krakatoa is very exciting as we continue to focus on the rapid development of our unique and high-value critical metals portfolio, to supply into a growing market and play a role in global decarbonisation efforts.”
Program rollout
As it embarks on the 2023 field season, Krakatoa is adopting a two-pronged approach.
The first part of its strategy encompasses regional campaigns across Mt Clere, including:
- geological mapping, rock and soil sampling, designed to generate new targets;
- targeted fieldwork at the Wheelo Creek & Number 6 bores, as well as an elevated metal zone northeast of the One Gum bore; and
- petrological work to deepen geological understanding;
Once fieldwork wraps up, Krakatoa will move to geophysical and reconnaissance drill programs over Mt Clere’s highest priority targets.
Meanwhile, over at the Tower Project, the company plans to conduct:
- aircore drilling to expand the clay-hosted resource estimate;
- diamond drilling to support geochemical and geotechnical work and provide samples for metallurgical programs; and
- environmental baseline and Aboriginal heritage surveys at main Tower area, which will likely feed into a scoping study on the Tower deposit.
Metallurgical test-work will also form a key part of this field season as Krakatoa aims to develop a viable processing and production pathway for Tower’s rare earths.
Infill and extensional drilling is also on the cards for later in the year — activity that could prove up the 101-million-tonne Tower resource.