Marmota’s (ASX: MEU) first X-ray diffraction scans of three samples from its South Australian palaeochannel mineral sands discovery have shown up an average of 79 per cent and up to 90 per cent valuable heavy mineral content.
The analyses reveal the samples have a high-value titanium content, with the top 12-metre interval in the northernmost discovery hole containing very high rutile from 18 per cent to 24 per cent and pseudorutile from 41 per cent to 64 per cent.
When combined, the ultra-high value rutile, pseudorutile and anatase content ranges in the samples are between 60 per cent and 90 per cent, with an average of 73 per cent ultra-valuable content.
The exceptional result is further sweetened by very low concentrations in all three samples of less than 0.002 per cent of the deleterious elements uranium and thorium, which can pose a range of processing and health problems.
Marmota’s heavy mineral sands discovery was announced in November last year, when thick runs of titanium-rich mineralisation were revealed in a second round of analysis of samples acquired during the company’s rotary air blast (RAB) drilling of 106 shallow holes in its scout program for rare earths across the Muckanippie exploration licence.
A single “fence” of four RAB holes traverses a distinctive north-east trending total magnetic intensity anomaly measuring about 1.5 kilometres by 750m in the palaeochannel hosting the heavy mineral sands.
The heavy mineral sands samples drawn for the mid-December metallurgical study were obtained from three holes in the four-hole fence.
The company commissioned the metallurgical testwork to determine the heavy mineral properties of the samples. The work involved heavy liquid separation, X-ray fluorescence and X-ray diffraction studies.
The three “metwork” samples comprised multiple composite samples selected from the northern hole in the discovery fence, an intermediate hole about 515m further south and the southern hole, a further 340m south, for a total traverse of about 855m.
Each sample at the northern hole represents a 4m composite from each of three consecutive 4m intervals from surface.
The intervals recorded a valuable heavy mineral component of 74 per cent, 90 per cent and 70 per cent respectively.
The respective rutile component of each interval is 18, 24 and 18 per cent, while for pseudorutile, the respective proportions run at 51, 64 and 41 per cent.
The single selected sample interval in the intermediate hole extends from 20m to 24m and delivered 77 per cent valuable heavy minerals, including 1 per cent pseudorutile and 76 per cent ilmenite.
Two selected samples from the southern hole extend from 4-8m and 8-12m intervals and delivered a valuable heavy mineral content of 88 per cent and 76 per cent respectively. The pseudorutile content in the samples is 15 per cent and 16 per cent and the ilmenite content is 73 per cent and 60 per cent respectively.
Marmota’s titanium discovery holes at Muckanippie EL 6166 feature bonanza heavy mineral concentrations and intercept thicknesses. Marmota has recorded high valuable heavy mineral (VHM) in all the tested discovery holes, including very high values of rutile/pseudorutile in the north, starting from surface. This adds to an unfolding discovery, particularly when noted that mineralogical samples to the west on Marmota’s adjoining tenement reported remarkable 100 per cent VHM titanium content.
Marmota Limited Chairman Dr Colin Rose
Marmota kicked off a follow-up shallow air core drilling program in January comprising a planned 91 holes for 3272m at an average hole depth of 36m - or to drill refusal - to evaluate the new titanium sands target. Most of the holes are clustered at close spacing across a total magnetic intensity anomaly and on either side of the original four discovery holes.
The pattern is constrained within just over 3km within the east and west boundaries of the Muckanippie exploration licence and along the east-west trending central axis of the palaeochannel.
Marmota is now keenly waiting for the results from its drilling program.
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