PERTH (miningweekly.com) – ASX-listed junior Hastings Rare Metals has reported a 29% increase in the Joint Ore Reserves Committee-compliant resource for its Yangibana project, in Western Australia.
The project was now estimated to host a resource of 12.36-million tonnes, grading 10.7% total rare earth oxide, for 132 500 t of contained rare earths. Some 8.1-million tonnes of this resource was classified as indicated, with a further 4.2-million tonnes classified as inferred.
The increase in the resource estimate was based on 2014 and 2015 drilling campaigns and incorporated a dilution factor.
Hastings said on Tuesday that all deposits remained open at depth and further drilling was expected to define more resource.
Meanwhile, Hastings was progressing mining studies on the geological interpretation and resource figures as part of a prefeasibility study at the Yangibana project.
Metallurgical testwork was also progressing, while environmental studies continued.