Narryer Metals (ASX:NYM) advances Rocky Gully scandium prospects
Narryer Metals (ASX:NYM) continues to make significant strides in the exploration of critical minerals, particularly scandium, at its Rocky Gully project in Western Australia.
The company’s latest update reveals promising findings, highlighting the project’s potential to host the first scandium deposit in the state.
Executive Chairman, Richard Bevan emphasised the significance of these developments, stating, “The company believes it has multiple pathways to success at the Rocky Gully carbonatite project. The market for scandium will increase with applications in lightweight transport solutions in the aviation and aerospace industries and in solid fuel cell technologies. This upcoming exploration program has the potential to add significant value for shareholders.”
Located in the Great Southern region, the Rocky Gully project has emerged as a focal point for Narryer Metals, with exploration activities concentrated on scandium, a critical mineral with a growing market in the aerospace and solid oxide fuel cell industries.
The project area spans 79 km² and benefits from proximity to key infrastructure, including a 100 km sealed road leading to the port town of Albany.
Recent exploration efforts have yielded high-grade scandium mineralization at shallow depths, particularly at the Ivar Prospect, where Narryer has identified potential carbonatite rocks—an alkaline intrusive system often associated with scandium and rare earth elements (REE).
Among the key highlights from the company’s recent diamond drilling program are intercepts of 7.3 meters at 334 ppm Sc2O3 and 9 meters at 248 ppm Sc2O3.
Additionally, reassays of previous reverse circulation (RC) drilling have confirmed the presence of high-grade scandium, with results including 24 meters at 337 ppm Sc2O3, featuring a remarkable 8-meter section at 546 ppm Sc2O3.
Key Highlights:
- High-Grade Scandium Mineralization: Drilling at the Ivar Prospect returned significant scandium intercepts, including 7.3m @ 334 ppm Sc2O3 and 9m @ 248 ppm Sc2O3.
- Reassay Success: Reassays of previous RC drilling revealed scandium grades as high as 546 ppm Sc2O3 within a 24m intercept at 337 ppm Sc2O3.
- Surface Sampling Results: Laterite sampling identified scandium concentrations up to 413 ppm Sc2O3, with several samples exceeding 100 ppm, considered highly anomalous.
- Upcoming Drilling Programs: An aircore drilling campaign is planned to explore the lateral extent of scandium and REE mineralization over a 1.7 km by 2 km area.
- Strategic Importance: Scandium is on both the U.S. and E.U. critical minerals lists, underscoring the project’s potential value in emerging technologies and industries.
Surface sampling has further corroborated these findings, with scandium concentrations in laterite reaching up to 413 ppm Sc2O3.
This level of mineralization places Rocky Gully within the range observed in other significant scandium deposits globally, such as those found in New South Wales, Australia, where Rio Tinto (ASX:RIO) and Sunrise Energy Metals (ASX:SRL) are actively developing projects.
Narryer Metals’ strategic approach involves a comprehensive exploration program to unlock the full potential of the Rocky Gully project.
The company is preparing for a follow-up aircore drilling campaign aimed at assessing the lateral extent of scandium and REE mineralization near the surface at the Ivar Prospect.
This program, covering a 1.7 km by 2 km area, will target geophysical anomalies identified through ground surveys, with results expected to provide additional targets for subsequent RC drilling.
Narryer Metals’ Rocky Gully project, rapidly gaining recognition as a significant scandium prospect in Western Australia, is poised to play a pivotal role in the future supply of this critical mineral, thanks to the company’s focused exploration strategy and promising early results.
Investors and stakeholders alike will be keenly watching as Narryer Metals advances this exciting project towards potential resource definition and development.