Australian Rare Earths (ASX:AR3) has announced a significant 27% increase in the Koppamurra Mineral Resource Estimate (MRE) with a 70% boost in the higher-grade subsets. The expanded 236 Mt Mineral Resource now includes 68 Mt grading over 1000 ppm TREO, highlighting the potential for an initial higher-grade project development plan.
AR3 Managing Director and CEO, Travis Beinke, expressed his satisfaction with the substantial increase in the Mineral Resource estimate, emphasizing the potential for the Project to become a strategically important, long-life supplier of critical rare earths. He also highlighted the compelling scope for ongoing Mineral Resource growth, with mineralisation open to the north and south, covering only 2% of the extensive 7,400km2 tenure.
The updated Mineral Resource estimate demonstrates the potential for a shallow, higher-grade subset of the broader rare earth deposit, with compelling scope for ongoing growth. The company's ongoing exploration efforts and strategic drilling programs have led to more accurate modeling and Mineral Resource estimates. The updated Exploration Target now ranges from 500Mt to 3.2Bt with average grades ranging from 520 ppm to 780 ppm TREO, marking an improvement from the previous range of 330 Mt to 3.1 Bt. The potential quantity and grade of the Exploration Target is conceptual in nature, and the company remains committed to the timely exploration and development of its flagship Koppamurra Project, positioning itself to become an independent and sustainable source of energy transition metals.