New hope out of the flames

After the Canadian fires, MTM Critical Metals has met with quick success at its Pomme REE-Nb project. New mineralised zones have been uncovered near the big Montviel rare earth and niobium deposit in Quebec, Canada. 

“We committed to a critical metals exploration strategy after acquiring the Pomme project, which is a quality carbonatite exploration target containing significant rare earth elements and niobium mineralisation,” MTM Managing Director Lachlan Reynolds says. 

Reynolds said Canada was a logical sell to investors who recognised both the geological opportunity and a clear pathway and value proposition. Understandably upbeat following the recent positive results, Reynolds speaks about the uniqueness of this advanced project, its early development potential, and plans to circle back on its high-quality assets in Western Australia. 

What led you to choose the Pomme project as the latest endeavour for MTM? 

Pomme is a more advanced project with significant geological potential. Based on the results of limited historical drilling we knew immediately that it is a mineralised carbonatite. It was a clear drilling target without the need to do much reconnaissance work. Furthermore, it is easily accessible and located within a very favourable jurisdiction.  

How have things been since the Canadian wildfires? 

The recent fires caused significant disruptions to our operations and to other mineral exploration and forestry industries in Quebec. Obviously, our team is grateful to have been able to return to the field again so quickly when things were declared safe and start delivering these latest encouraging results. New drill holes at Pomme have revealed rare earth mineralisation extending over a kilometre north of the historical drill holes, indicating a promisingly extensive system. We’re exploring new, previously untested areas for higher-grade mineralisation and are excited about making further discoveries. 

Do you remain confident about the quick development potential of Pomme? 

Because we have been able to target our exploration drilling quickly and because the rare earth mineralisation is visible in the drill core, we think that this project can race from an exploration target into a resource definition phase and, ultimately, a mine development.  We need to discover a suitable mineralised zone but once that is done we can then rapidly scale-up our drilling program to define a resource. 

How do you feel about the initial 500 meters of mineralisation and upcoming assays? 

It’s always wonderful to see mineralisation in the diamond drill core. The grade will of course be variable, but I am confident there will be zones that could indicate the potential for a resource. Our objective is to systematically explore the project to locate the most promising portion of the system. This opportunity is thrilling as the geology of the target area still holds immense unexplored potential.  

Why are the historical indications from Pomme so compelling? 

The exploration history is vital to this project. The previous diamond drilling has told us without a doubt that we are dealing with not only a carbonatite but one containing both rare earth elements and highly valued niobium. Beyond that, the Pomme project is only a few kilometres away from another world-class rare earth resource hosted in another carbonatite. If we can discover and define a new resource, we can assess a more considerable combined development with the nearby deposit.  

What’s your drilling approach? 

We have planned our program strategically, with wide spacing between deep, angled drill holes. We aim maximise the changes of intersecting a significant resource that matches the size and grade of the nearby Montviel carbonatite deposit. Our current drilling area could easily contain a valuable resource of this size. Once we identify a highly mineralised zone, we’ll escalate our exploration program and progress to the resource definition phase.  

What are you doing to ensure that the resource is recoverable? 

The Canadian project is attractive because it is carbonatite-hosted rare earth element mineralisation, which is comparatively well-understood. However, the mineralogy of these deposits is complex, making it difficult to process and recover metals from them economically. This is why very few operations have been brought to market. With available drill core we can start on a metallurgical test work program to assist with assessing a possible process flow sheet. 

In Western Australia, there is no concrete idea of what would make a viable rare earth resource, thoughthe industry is actively working to overcome this. Still, with carbonatite projects, we clearly understand the capital structure of any future development and can be confident about the resources needed to succeed.  

Where do you hope MTM to be in the next 12 months and beyond? 

Exploration success in Canada and WA will position us well for continued growth.  We are drilling for discovery in several prospective locations, and in the next 12 months, we expect to identify potential economic mineral deposits and build our critical metal resource base.  Our company aims to ultimately transition from an explorer to a project developer with quality essential metal assets. 

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