Venus’ Marvel Loch East Rare Earth Project is comprised of one granted exploration licence (E15/1796) and four applications (ELAs 15/1944, 15/1946, 15/1947 and 77/2721) for a total area of 283 blocks. (828 km2). As part of a regional reconnaissance exploration program, Venus has completed systematic soil sampling on E15/1796 at 400 x 400 m spacing for 273 samples and 100 x 100 m spaced infill sampling(319 samples) across one target area.
A total of 49 rock chip and laterite samples were taken to complement the soil survey. Anomalies in REE are defined in soil, laterite, and rock chips (Figure 6) along the ~25 km strike length of the arcuate aeromagnetic high in the west and across an oval-shaped magnetic feature (~3 x 4 km) in the east of E15/1796. The arcuate and ovoid aeromagnetic highs within the granite terrain of E15/1796 are suggestive of a different bedrock type. The aeromagnetic features were previously interpreted as potential remnant greenstone. Historical GSWA rock-chip samples are characterised as monzogranite.
Soil samples (UltraFine™) contain up to 6,092 ppm TREO (total rare earth oxide), including 702 ppm Nd2O3 on and adjacent to Monzogranite bedrock which is enriched in rare earth elements (REEs) (refer ASX release 30 September 2022). Venus considers the REE-enriched bedrock as a potential REE source for residual enrichment within the regolith during weathering, a process that may have led to the formation of clay-hosted REE mineralisation. So far, only surface samples have been analysed, and there is scope for heavy REE (HREE) enrichment at depth in the weathering profile. Clay-hosted REE deposits may have higher HREE concentrations closer to the bedrock (Li et al., 2017)
Location of Marvel Loch East Tenements on 250k Topo Map.
Location of Marvel Loch East Tenements on GSWA Aeromagnetic Map.
Total Rare Earth Oxide (TREO) concentration ranges in parts per million (ppm) on the aeromagnetic image with five TREO anomalies, A to E; inset showing TREO concentrations for Anomaly D and maximum TREO concentration.
Specimen of oxidised monzogranite (Venus sample 22056540A, TREO of 1407 ppm) with brownish REE mineralisation.