Brockman JORC Resource
The Brockman Project (the Project) is Australia’s largest Heavy Rare Earths (HREO) Project*, containing significant Dysprosium and Yttrium plus rare metals Niobium and Zirconium resources. The Project is 100% owned by Hastings Technology Metals Limited.
Following the acquisition of the project in December 2010, Hastings completed a 51-hole drilling programme (8,200m) which provided 7 DD and 41 RC intersections of the mineralised zone. These intersections confirmed results achieved by previous explorers in the 1980s and provided deeper intersections of the mineralisation. This enabled a new interpretation of the deposit to be completed (Figures 1 and 2) and allowed new resource estimates to be undertaken.
In November 2015 a JORC Indicated Resource of 5.2 million tonnes at 2200ppm TREO including 1800ppm HREO plus 3900ppm Nb2O5 and 9500ppm ZrO2 was estimated for the Southern Extension.
The HREO concentration represents 85% of TREO, which is high relative to other rare earths projects.
*Hastings defines projects exceeding 35%HREO:TREO as being Heavy Rare Earths Projects.
Figure 1 – Brockman Cross Section 9400mN
Figure 2 – Brockman Cross Section 10200mN
The high levels of HREOs and the high niobium content are the key drivers of the value of the Brockman Project, and a major differentiator to other advanced rare earths projects with lower HREO concentrations. This differentiates the Hastings Project from other rare earths projects.
| Zone | Category | Oxide/ Primary | Tonnes (*000) | ZrO2 ppm | Nb2O5 ppm | TREO ppm | HREO ppm |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Main | Indicated | Oxide | 1,400 | 8,860 | 3,510 | 2,150 | 1,830 |
| Indicated | Primary | 25,400 | 8,910 | 3,550 | 2,100 | 1,800 | |
| H/Wall | Indicated | Primary | 300 | 9,080 | 3,630 | 2,130 | 1,770 |
| Sthn Ext | Indicated | Mixed | 5,200 | 9,500 | 3,900 | 2,200 | 1,800 |
| Total | Indicated | 32,300 | 9,010 | 3,600 | 2,120 | 1,800 | |
| Nth Extension | Inferred | Oxide | 250 | 8,860 | 3,510 | 2,150 | 1,830 |
| Inferred | Primary | 2,100 | 8,91o | 3,550 | 2,100 | 1,800 | |
| Main Deep | Inferred | Primary | 6,750 | 8,910 | 3,550 | 2,100 | 1,800 |
| Total | Inferred | 9,100 | 8,910 | 3,550 | 2,100 | 1,800 | |
| Total | 41,400 | 8,990 | 3,590 | 2,100 | 1,800 |
Table 1 – Summary of Brockman Project JORC Compliant Resources
Figure 3 – Brockman, Longitudinal Section showing resource distribution
Exploration Potential
Further drilling could increase the resources at the Southern Extension where the majority of the intersections exceed the average grade of the defined resources further north in the Main Zone.
The increased grades for both the rare earths and the rare metals and the potential to increase the defined JORC resource clearly enhance the economics of the Brockman Project.
Rare earths have been defined by limited drilling at Levon and Haig prospects but neither hosts elevated rare metals values.
There is potential to define higher grade portions of the deposit that could be amenable to shallow open pit mining followed by underground mining.