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LONDON - Cobra Resources PLC (LSE:COBR), an exploration and development company, has initiated a sonic core drilling program at its Boland Project in South Australia, targeting a potentially significant deposit of ionic Rare Earth Elements (REEs). The project is notable for its dysprosium and terbium-enriched ionic REEs within permeable sands, which are suitable for in situ recovery (ISR), a mining method that is both cost-effective and environmentally considerate.
The drilling operation, conducted by Star Drilling, intends to complete a minimum of 10 holes, spanning approximately 500 meters, over the next 8-10 days. An additional well installation is planned to support upcoming infield permeability studies. The company expects to use 40-80kg of the core samples for metallurgical optimization studies, with results anticipated within 4-6 weeks.
Rupert Verco, Managing Director of Cobra, stated that the sonic drilling technique is expected to yield higher-grade samples than previous aircore drilling results due to its ability to recover complete samples. The drilling aims to confirm geological continuity and advance towards a resource estimate.
The Boland Project has been identified as a scalable discovery of ionic rare earths, particularly heavy and magnet rare earths, which are in high demand globally. Bench scale ISR testing has demonstrated that the mineralization is suitable for ISR mining, a technique previously used in South Australia for uranium recovery. Metallurgical test work suggests that ISR could allow for the non-invasive, low-cost production of critical REEs at Boland.
This drilling is part of Cobra’s ongoing resource-focused drilling program, which aims to define the resource and refine ISR and metallurgical processes. The company will provide updates on the progress of the project in due course.
The information in this article is based on a press release statement from Cobra Resources PLC.
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