Rainbow Rare Earths (LON: RBW), the Rare Earth Element mining company, has provided the following update on its exploration and mine development programme.
Highlights
– 2 borehole samples analysed – including sections of 13.87m @4.85% Total Rare Earth Oxides (“TREO”) and 11.64m @ 3.86% TREO
– Additional drill cores amounting to more than 1,000m sent for analysis to enable rapid evaluation and formulation of comprehensive Mineral Resource Statement
Kiyenzi drilling history
Rainbow has historically focused on the areas of Gasagwe and Murambi for its production of Rare Earth Elements from Burundi.
During 2018 the Company undertook a drilling campaign at Kiyenzi. This campaign followed on from an exploration programme comprising a ground gravity survey and trenching. In total 30 core holes were drilled, for a total of 1,428m. Drilling was relatively shallow – with the exception of one hole which was drilled to a depth of 150m, all the other holes averaged a depth of just 44m. Drilling was carried out on a loose 25m grid.
In October 2019, Rainbow commenced with the shipment and evaluation of the remaining Kiyenzi cores in order to generate a comprehensive dataset which would enable Rainbow to produce an updated, robust and code-compliant Mineral Resource Estimate currently being undertaken by CSA Global.
The first two diamond core holes, 29 and 31, have been analysed and show continuous mineralisation from first mineralisation strike (both of which were at shallow depths):
· Hole 29 from 17.70m to 38.32 m for a mineralised section of 20.62m at an average grade of 3.45%. including the following sections (shown at % TREO):
o 0.20m @ 45.79%
o 1.32m @ 4.99%
o 0.17m @ 30.47%
o 0.15m @ 33.11%
o 0.15m@ 26.52%
o 0.17m @ 19.10%
o 0.22m @ 13.7%
o 0.12m @ 23.29%
Excluding a section of the core of 6.75m which graded 0.58%, implies an average grade for the remaining 13.87m of 4.85%.
· Hole 31 from 12.45m to 48.90m for a mineralised section of 36.45m at an average grade of 1.63%, with selected sections grading as follows:
o 0.38m @ 10.96%
o 0.42m @ 9.13%
o 1.05m @ 3.05%
o 0.30m @ 11.41%
o 0.27m @ 11.78%
o 0.70m @ 4.51%
o 0.90m @ 3.34%
o 0.90m @ 3.15%
o 0.17m @ 13.62%
o 0.14m @15.39%
Excluding a section of the core of 24.81m which graded 0.58%, implies an average grade for the remaining 11.64m of 3.86%.
Commenting on the results, Rainbow CEO George Bennett said: “With the historical data we have and these encouraging results, I am optimistic that the remaining drill core will yield equally good results, ensuring we have multiple future mining areas giving us mining flexibility while maintaining our record of one of the highest grading REE mines on the continent.”
