Aldoro Resources Ltd has completed an orthophotographic survey at the Kameelburg Rare Earth Carbonatite Project in Namibia, paving the way for metallurgical sampling to start in the first week of September.
Using a digital camera mounted in a fixed-wing aircraft, the company acquired high-resolution images over the carbonatite, leading to the creation of a Digital Elevation Model (DEM) to provide a better idea of the project’s topographic surface.
Aldoro signed a binding heads of agreement earlier this year to acquire an 85% stake in the Namibian exploration permits. With the orthophotos in hand, the company is now a step closer to starting a due diligence sampling program at the project.
A historical rock chip sampling program and a grid-based rock and soil sampling program at 100-metre intervals returned up to 2.12% total rare earth oxides (TREO) in the rocks and up to 2.02% TREO in the soils.
Along with the high-resolution orthophotos, historical analytical data from the site has helped facilitate a detailed plan to take samples for metallurgical bench testing.
Aldoro undertook a review of historic 100-metre spaced rock chip sampling back in March to assist in selecting phases/dykes of the intrusion that are suitable for representative metallurgical bench testing for rare earths elements recovery, including niobium.
Nine potential sites were selected as core drilling sample sites, which are subject to ground investigations to establish that suitably thick homogenous material is available at the sites. Eight samples sit within the carbonatite outline with the ninth located in a thick marginal dyke.
The company expects four to five sites to be suitable and about 120 kilograms of “fresh” material will be collected at each site using a portable core drill with a 100mm diameter and 1-metre reach.
With metallurgical sampling due to commence within a month, Aldoro will soon have a much clearer picture of what it has on its hands.