Kendrick Resources Plc (LON: KEN) has reported further high-grade rare earth element results from its Teufelskuppe Project, with the latest drilling continuing to demonstrate shallow mineralisation and strong continuity across the carbonatite complex.
The company said portable X-ray fluorescence analytical results from diamond drill holes TKDD004 to TKDD006 had confirmed broad zones of near-surface rare earth mineralisation, together with multiple high-grade total rare earth oxide intercepts.
Drill hole TKDD004 intersected continuous near-surface mineralisation from surface to 5.50 metres, returning an average grade of 2.30% TREO. This included higher-grade intervals of 3.21% TREO over 0.50 metres from 3.25 metres and 3.61% TREO over 0.75 metres from 4.75 metres.
TKDD005, which was designed to test shallow mineralisation, returned 2.35% TREO over 8.00 metres from surface, further supporting the continuity of high-grade mineralisation close to surface.
The most extensive results came from TKDD006, which intersected a broad mineralised zone with several high-grade intervals. These included 3.40% TREO over 2.50 metres from 3.25 metres, 3.01% TREO over 1.50 metres from 9.75 metres, 3.33% TREO over 2.75 metres from 17.25 metres, 3.02% TREO over 2.75 metres from 22.25 metres and 3.00% TREO over 3.75 metres from 32.75 metres.
Kendrick said the higher-grade intervals in TKDD006 sit within wider zones of continuous rare earth mineralisation, with intervening lower-grade sections averaging around 2.04% TREO across a combined 20 metres of drill intercept.
Chairman Colin Bird said the latest results provided further evidence of excellent continuity, with mineralised drill intercepts beginning at surface.
He added that the company was seeing substantial widths of mineralisation, with continuous grades between the highlighted high-grade intervals that compare favourably with peers in the rare earth sector.
The company said drill core has been comprehensively logged and submitted for laboratory analysis to validate the pXRF results and support ongoing resource estimation work.
Kendrick is advancing the Teufelskuppe project in line with its published development plan. Verification of the company’s in-house mineral resource estimate and work towards JORC 2012 compliance has been initiated alongside ongoing diamond and reverse circulation drilling.
The company is targeting the depth and sub-surface spread of carbonatite mineralisation below the natural surface profile of the project area.
Kendrick said the predominant rare earths of economic value at Teufelskuppe are light rare earth elements, particularly cerium, lanthanum, neodymium and praseodymium. Neodymium and praseodymium, which are key magnet metals, make up an average of around 25% by weight of the rare earth pool.
The company said the latest results reinforce confidence in Teufelskuppe’s potential to define a significant shallow rare earth resource, with drill data showing sub-surface continuity and potential for further resource upside.
Kendrick believes the project is developing into a prospective new source of commercial rare earth production for free-market economies and industrialised nations, with Namibia positioned as a potential host to a significant new rare earth development.
