Power Minerals (ASX:PNN) confirms hard-rock carbonatite intrusion at Santa Anna

Power Minerals (ASX:PNN) has reinforced the credentials of its Santa Anna Project in Brazil, confirming the presence of a high-grade carbonatite hard rock intrusion.

The confirmation strengthens the company’s interpretation that the Goiás State project could host mineralisation of a style and scale comparable to some of the best-known rare earth element deposits globally.

Highlights

• Confirmation of a high-grade carbonatite intrusion at Santa Anna

• Mineralisation starts at surface with grades up to 6.2% TREO

• Ongoing drilling designed to deliver an Exploration Target and maiden JORC 2012 Mineral Resource Estimate

• Drone-based geophysical surveys to map the carbonatite complex and prioritise targets

• Strategic partnership with EDEM in a supportive Brazilian jurisdiction with existing infrastructure

The confirmation follows integration of geophysical, geochemical and geological datasets, with drilling intersecting rare earth element mineralisation extending well below earlier exploration levels into fresh carbonatite.

Visual examination of drill core has highlighted intense alteration, including the presence of nelsonite, a strongly magnetic lithology consistent with rare earth hosting potential.

While the precise relationship between nelsonite and mineralisation remains under review, its identification provides further confidence in the carbonatite model that underpins Santa Anna’s development trajectory.

Power has noted that mineralisation starts at surface and remains open in all directions, raising the possibility of a free-digging deposit.

Such geometry could lend itself to favourable cost structures, an attribute often associated with carbonatite-hosted deposits when compared with alternative rare earth sources such as heavy mineral sands and ionic-adsorption clays.

“Hard-rock carbonatite deposits occurring in alkaline complexes can contain elevated REE concentrations, which have the potential to make them more efficient and economical to mine when compared to other deposit styles such as REE in heavy mineral sands and ionic-adsorption clays,” said Managing Director Mena Habib.

The Santa Anna intrusion, discovered only in 2021, already compares favourably with long-recognised rare earth operations in terms of style and early indications of grade.

A peer comparison of hard-rock deposits shows that while Santa Anna remains at the exploration stage, other systems such as Lynas Rare Earths’ Mt Weld and MP Materials’ Mountain Pass have progressed into globally significant producers with multi-billion-dollar valuations.

Santa Anna consists of two granted permits covering the entire circular intrusion and its margin, along with surrounding ground, a footprint that secures the core of the system while also leaving scope to capture late-stage dykes and future infrastructure requirements.

Early drilling has returned total rare earth oxide grades of up to 6.2 per cent, including neodymium-praseodymium content of up to 1.08 per cent, placing the project within the range of comparable deposits that are far more advanced in their development.

To refine its exploration approach, Power Minerals intends to deploy drone-based magnetic and radiometric surveys that will map the phases of the carbonatite complex in detail.

The results of this work will guide the prioritisation of drilling targets across the intrusion, helping to accelerate the definition of an Exploration Target and a maiden JORC-compliant resource.

The company also highlights strong logistical advantages, with a sealed highway passing less than one kilometre from the intrusion boundary and regulatory support from Goiás State, which is already established as a mining-friendly jurisdiction.

The partnership with EDEM, a well-established local bauxite producer, provides an additional dimension to project execution.

In addition to offering operational expertise, EDEM’s established position within the state’s mining industry may provide advantages in navigating Brazil’s regulatory framework and in ensuring efficient project delivery.

Power’s confirmation of a hard rock carbonatite system at Santa Anna marks a step forward in positioning the project as an emerging rare earth asset of international relevance.

While the project remains at an early stage, the combination of high-grade intersections, surface mineralisation, supportive infrastructure and strong in-country partnerships places it firmly among the more promising exploration stories outside China.

The company’s immediate focus will be on progressing drilling and geophysical surveys to support delivery of an Exploration Target, followed by a maiden JORC Mineral Resource Estimate, milestones that will establish Santa Anna’s standing within the global landscape of rare earth projects.

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