Appia Announces Preliminary Desorption Results and Confirms Ionic Adsorption Clay Rare Earth Mineralization in Brazil
Appia Rare Earths & Uranium Corp. announced the confirmation of Ionic Adsorption Clay rare earth elements at the PCH project in Brazil. Desorption tests showed high-grade recoveries for Magnet and Heavy Rare Earth Oxides, indicating commercial viability. The project covers a vast area with potential for new discoveries. The company aims to optimize the desorption process to maximize recoveries and minimize costs. The presence of two distinct mineralization styles enhances the project's potential. The recent mineral resource estimate on Target IV and the Buriti Zone underscores the project's progress.
Confirmation of high-grade recoveries for Magnet and Heavy Rare Earth Oxides in desorption tests.
Potential for new discoveries across Appia's vast project area.
Optimization of desorption process to increase recoveries and reduce costs.
Identification of two distinct REE mineralization styles enhancing project potential.
Successful maiden Mineral Resource Estimate on Target IV and the Buriti Zone.
Results are preliminary and need further optimization for future testing.
Desorption process may entail operating and capital costs.
Presence of distinct mineralization styles may require different extraction methods.
Toronto, Ontario--(Newsfile Corp. - May 6, 2024) - Appia Rare Earths & Uranium Corp. (CSE: API) (OTCQX: APAAF) (FSE: A0I0) (MUN: A0I0) (BER: A0I0) (the "Company" or "Appia") announced today the confirmation of the presence of Ionic Adsorption Clay (IAC) rare earth elements (REE) at the PCH project. A total of 100 samples were sent to AGS Laboratories in La Serena, Chile and the results consistently indicated that the regolith developed over the Ipora Granite presented significant recoveries for Magnet Rare Earth Oxides (MREO) and Heavy Rare Earth Oxides (HREO) consistent with the expected profile of an IAC ore.
Stephen Burega, President, commented, "We are very excited with the recoveries of this first phase of testing. The desorbable Magnet and Heavy Rare Earth recoveries achieved in these initial desorption tests confirm high-grade ionic adsorption clay characteristics which compare very favourably to commercially viable operations in China and globally. We will now work towards fine-tuning the process to increase the level of recovery. Appia is confident that the expansion of our exploration efforts across the PCH project area will uncover many new targets exhibiting this same IAC profile and desorbability."
Highlights
- Samples selected from the different geological frameworks, and at distinctive grades, has led to the characterization of two REE mineralization styles. One is associated with the regolith originated from the weathering of the Ipora Granite intrusion, in which the IAC developed and favourable desorbability is present, and one is associated with a carbonatite intrusion-dyke with grades of from 269.7 to 95,156 parts per million (PPM) Total Rare Earth Oxide (TREO) (see Map 1).
- Selected samples from Reverse Circulation (RC) drill holes showed TREO grades ranging from 1,236 ppm to 39,881 ppm and Total Desorbable Rare Earth Oxides (TREO D) ranging from 178.9 ppm to 1,617.8 ppm. The representative results from the desorption tests are presented in Table 1 below. The full set of results are included in this LINK.
- Desorbable values from RC holes located in the weathered portion of the Ipora Granite show representative preliminary desorption results among the REE (Map 2) with Nd2O3 and Pr2O3 ranging from 0.5 ppm to 451.2 ppm, from
0.1% to48.2% recovery, and Tb4O7 and Dy2O3 ranging from 0.2 ppm to 70.2 ppm, from 0.6 to86.7% recovery (Table 1). - These favourable REE desorption results within the regolith open the potential to identify new targets across Appia's very large project area of +40,000 ha which strategically cover the majority (
71.4% ) of the Ipora Granite extension in the region. (See map 3) - The results presented are preliminary, and Appia's team will work to optimize the desorption process for future testing to maximize recoveries while minimizing operating and capital costs. As part of this process, samples from entire RC holes from Target IV and Buriti Zones as well as from selected new exploratory targets are being prepared to be sent for desorption test work.
- Desorbability results were conducted using Ammonium Sulfate at 0.5M, pH4, for 20 minutes. No QAQC samples were introduced in this preliminary desorbability test.
Tom Drivas stated, "These results are another example of the exceptionally fast progress that we have made in less than a year, and we are confident that we will continue to maintain this momentum. Confirming the presence of the IAC mineralization style in the Ipora Granite is an important milestone for the PCH project, and as more data becomes available, we will expand our understanding of this IAC mineralization. We know now that we clearly have two styles of mineralization including the REE high-grade zone previously identified at Target IV, and the IAC that are in this geological unit above the Ipora granite that underlays the majority of our land package. This finding improves the potential for new IAC discoveries across the full extent of the PCH project."
| Holeid | Interval | TREO | TREO D | %TREO D | HREO | HREO D | %HREO D | NdPr | NdPr D | %NdPr D | DyTb | DyTb D | %DyTb D | |
| From | To | Desor-bed | TREOD/TREO*100 | Desor-bed | HREOD/ HREO*100 | Desor-bed | NdPrD/NdPrD*100 | Desor-bed | DyTbD/DyTbD*100 | |||||
| m | m | ppm | ppm | % | ppm | ppm | % | ppm | ppm | % | ppm | ppm | % | |
| PCH-RC-001 | 3.0 | 4.0 | 4505.8 | 495.1 | 11.0 | 724.6 | 147.4 | 20.3 | 889.4 | 120.4 | 13.5 | 124.9 | 20.3 | 16.3 |
| PCH-RC-001 | 5.0 | 6.0 | 4215.9 | 760.9 | 18.0 | 806.6 | 266.9 | 33.1 | 822.9 | 169.7 | 20.6 | 141.6 | 37.9 | 26.8 |
| PCH-RC-001 | 6.0 | 7.0 | 3404.6 | 488.5 | 14.3 | 815.9 | 193.4 | 23.7 | 574.3 | 99.6 | 17.3 | 121.6 | 26.1 | 21.5 |
| PCH-RC-007 | 10.0 | 11.0 | 2214.6 | 338.9 | 15.3 | 362.8 | 136.0 | 37.5 | 471.0 | 74.1 | 15.7 | 46.1 | 15.8 | 34.3 |
| PCH-RC-008 | 5.0 | 6.0 | 2545.4 | 858.1 | 33.7 | 453.0 | 241.8 | 53.4 | 508.0 | 245.0 | 48.2 | 71.3 | 35.2 | 49.4 |
| PCH-RC-008 | 6.0 | 7.0 | 7940.4 | 1617.8 | 20.4 | 1523.5 | 471.8 | 31.0 | 1720.5 | 451.2 | 26.2 | 249.7 | 70.2 | 28.1 |
| PCH-RC-008 | 7.0 | 8.0 | 5708.1 | 1184.3 | 20.7 | 1146.6 | 359.4 | 31.3 | 1180.0 | 318.2 | 27.0 | 181.6 | 51.3 | 28.3 |
| PCH-RC-008 | 8.0 | 9.0 | 2645.2 | 648.7 | 24.5 | 483.6 | 206.3 | 42.7 | 535.4 | 168.5 | 31.5 | 72.4 | 29.2 | 40.4 |
| PCH-RC-008 | 9.0 | 10.0 | 5741.7 | 514.3 | 9.0 | 990.8 | 171.1 | 17.3 | 908.1 | 122.2 | 13.5 | 153.9 | 24.1 | 15.6 |
| PCH-RC-023 | 9.0 | 10.0 | 2163.1 | 215.2 | 9.9 | 236.7 | 80.1 | 33.8 | 416.3 | 39.7 | 9.5 | 37.9 | 7.8 | 20.6 |
| PCH-RC-029 | 3.0 | 4.0 | 1548.1 | 256.3 | 16.6 | 93.7 | 45.7 | 48.8 | 263.3 | 81.8 | 31.1 | 15.5 | 5.8 | 37.6 |
| PCH-RC-034 | 9.0 | 10.0 | 5357.4 | 398.6 | 7.4 | 604.5 | 138.5 | 22.9 | 1089.0 | 108.8 | 10.0 | 80.6 | 16.5 | 20.4 |
| PCH-RC-037 | 4.0 | 5.0 | 3166.1 | 178.9 | 5.7 | 96.8 | 52.6 | 54.3 | 499.6 | 48.6 | 9.7 | 12.6 | 6.2 | 49.7 |
| PCH-RC-043 | 3.0 | 4.0 | 2046.5 | 380.9 | 18.6 | 70.6 | 64.3 | 91.1 | 417.9 | 133.3 | 31.9 | 9.2 | 8.0 | 86.7 |
| PCH-RC-047 | 6.0 | 7.0 | 1870.7 | 333.8 | 17.8 | 298.2 | 105.7 | 35.5 | 425.8 | 109.8 | 25.8 | 38.7 | 13.1 | 33.8 |
| PCH-RC-047 | 7.0 | 8.0 | 2224.2 | 212.8 | 9.6 | 132.1 | 70.2 | 53.2 | 417.7 | 66.7 | 16.0 | 18.5 | 8.1 | 43.7 |
| PCH-RC-050 | 3.0 | 4.0 | 1059.0 | 307.6 | 29.0 | 117.1 | 94.1 | 80.4 | 245.6 | 97.9 | 39.9 | 16.3 | 11.9 | 73.4 |
| PCH-RC-050 | 4.0 | 5.0 | 1262.0 | 229.2 | 18.2 | 160.0 | 82.4 | 51.5 | 218.0 | 69.1 | 31.7 | 21.1 | 8.7 | 41.3 |
| PCH-RC-050 | 5.0 | 6.0 | 1236.2 | 294.2 | 23.8 | 149.9 | 98.9 | 65.9 | 276.6 | 91.2 | 33.0 | 19.5 | 12.5 | 64.1 |
| PCH-RC-051 | 4.0 | 5.0 | 9259.6 | 560.1 | 6.0 | 215.0 | 60.7 | 28.2 | 2042.7 | 218.6 | 10.7 | 41.1 | 8.1 | 19.6 |
| PCH-RC-051 | 5.0 | 6.0 | 17538.4 | 617.5 | 3.5 | 422.1 | 70.7 | 16.7 | 3698.9 | 242.0 | 6.5 | 73.0 | 9.3 | 12.8 |
| PCH-RC-051 | 7.0 | 8.0 | 7110.6 | 630.8 | 8.9 | 202.9 | 91.2 | 44.9 | 1557.1 | 220.0 | 14.1 | 31.1 | 10.4 | 33.4 |
| PCH-RC-060 | 2.0 | 3.0 | 3001.4 | 393.6 | 13.1 | 122.1 | 49.8 | 40.8 | 631.5 | 106.8 | 16.9 | 20.6 | 5.9 | 28.7 |
| PCH-RC-066 | 8.0 | 9.0 | 39881.2 | 637.6 | 1.6 | 1299.9 | 302.9 | 23.3 | 8089.2 | 126.7 | 1.6 | 166.9 | 20.1 | 12.0 |
Table 1 - Preliminary desorption results of representative samples. To view the full list of results, please click here.
*Total Rare Earth Oxides: TREO = Y2O3 + Eu2O3 + Gd2O3 + Tb4O7 + Dy2O3 + Ho2O3 + Er2O3 + Tm2O3 + Yb2O3 + Lu2O3 + La2O3 + Ce2O3 + Pr2O3 + Nd2O3 + Sm2O3
*Heavy Rare Earth Oxides: HREO = Gd2O3 + Tb4O7 + Dy2O3 + Ho2O3 + Er2O3 + Tm2O3 + Yb2O3 + Lu2O3 + Y2O3
*NdPr = Nd2O3+Pr2O3
*DyTb = Dy2O3+Tb4O7
*Element to Oxide Conversion Factor - Cerium Ce2O3 1.1713, Cerium CeO2 1.2284, Dysprosium Dy2O3 1.1477, Erbium Er2O3 1.1435, Europium Eu2O3 1.1579, Gadolinium Gd2O3 1.1526, Holmium Ho2O3 1.1455, Lanthanum La2O3 1.1728, Lutetium Lu2O3 1.1371, Neodymium Nd2O3 1.1664, Praseodymium Pr2O3 1.1703, Praseodymium Pr6O11 1.2082, Samarium Sm2O3 1.1596, Terbium Tb2O3 1.1510, Terbium Tb4O7 1.1762, Thulium Tm2O3 1.1421, Yttrium Y2O3 1.2699, Ytterbium Yb2O3 1.1387
* Desorbability results were conducted using Ammonium Sulfate at 0.5M, pH4, for 20 minutes.
Map 1 - Location and structure of the TREO high grade zone
To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit:
https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/5416/208113_e0981fb3742b7955_001full.jpg
Map 2 - Preliminary desorption results from Buriti and IV targets, High (green) above
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https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/5416/208113_e0981fb3742b7955_002full.jpg
Map 3 - Distribution of the Ipora Granite Unity under Appia's Claims.
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https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/5416/208113_e0981fb3742b7955_003full.jpg
Andre Costa, VP Exploration for Brazil, commented, "These preliminary desorption results shows the distinct rare earth mineralization in the PCH Project. The high-grade zone associated with a Carbonatitic intrusion or dyke, and the regolith developed above the Ipora granite, which hosts the IAC REE mineralization. We are directing our efforts on the latter with the exploratory auger campaign already initiated on numerous new targets."
On March 1st, 2024, the Company announced its maiden Mineral Resource Estimate (MRE) on Target IV and the Buriti Zone (Click here for the Press Release), and the companion NI 43-101 technical report on the PCH Project was filed on April 16th, 2024. (Click here for the Press Release)
Qualified Person
The technical information in this news release, including the information related to geology, drilling, and mineralization, has been reviewed and approved by Andre L. L. Costa, current Appia's VP Exploration for Brazil, with more than 29 years of relevant experience. Mr. Costa is a Fellow of Australian Institute of Geoscientists (AIG) and is a Qualified Person (QP) as defined by National Instrument 43-101 - Standards of Disclosure for Mineral Projects.
About Appia Rare Earths & Uranium Corp. (Appia)
Appia is a publicly traded Canadian company in the rare earth element and uranium sectors. The Company holds the right to acquire up to a
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