The 2019 drill campaign under way at the Wicheeda rare-earth element (REE) project, near Prince George, Canada, continues to yield “exceptional” results,” says TSX-V-listed Defense Metals CEO Craig Taylor.
The company on Wednesday announced its highest-grade drill intercept to date at Wicheeda, with drill hole WI19-31 returning 4.43% light rare earth oxide (LREO), being cerium, lanthanum, neodymium, praseodymium and samarium oxides, over a drill core interval of 83 m, including an interval assaying 5.47% LREO over an interval of 33 m.
“The results are particularly significant given that WI19-31 occurs at the north end of the Wicheeda deposit in an area where no prior drilling has been completed. This drill result, in addition to those from previously released holes, clearly illustrates the potential to expand the Wicheeda REE deposit,” said Taylor.
WI19-31 was terminated in mineralisation at a downhole depth of 138.5 m, owing to poor ground conditions and loss of circulation, but he said additional drilling of the relatively untested northern zone of the deposit would continue in 2020.
The 2019 Wicheeda REE deposit resource definition drill programme comprised 13 diamond drill holes totalling 2 005 m that were completed from three separate drill pads, designed to test the northern, southern and western extent of the Wicheeda deposit where it remains open, and to further delineate the relatively higher-grade, near surface dolomite carbonatite unit.
Defense Metals expects to receive the assay results for the remaining four drill holes within the coming weeks.