March Drilling Replace McLaren Titanium Undertaking
McLaren Minerals Restricted (ASX: MML) (“McLaren” or “Firm”), is happy to offer an replace on the drilling program at its wholly owned McLaren Titanium Undertaking.
Highlights
- Drilling has constantly intersected seen heavy minerals
- Extra 10m of mineral internet hosting sediments recognized in northern space
- Metallurgical pattern collected and dispatched for take a look at work
- Pressurised saline water encountered in a number of holes on northern drilling traces
- Gypsum prevalence confirmed in north-western nook of EL69/2388
- First parcel of analytical samples has been dispatched to Perth for evaluation
McLaren Minerals are at the moment exploring the McLaren Deposit positioned roughly 40km west of Balladonia in Western Australia by way of Air Core drilling and floor geological investigations. The 2025 exploration program is progressing effectively and is roughly 40% full.
The drilling program, concentrating on infill drilling to a beforehand interpreted mineral sands strandline, must be full by mid-April. Onsite geologists have confirmed visible mineralisation inside focused sediments and are inspired by the constant nature of mineralising orientation. It must be famous that visible estimates recorded throughout drilling actions and laboratory outcomes don’t at all times align.
Heavy Mineral Constantly Intersected
Drilling constantly intersected sediments internet hosting Heavy Minerals (HM) and it’s interpreted to occupy paleo marine sediments beneath fashionable cowl and are predictably recognized inside the elevated topographic characteristic. The mineral internet hosting sediments are noticed to softly rise in an easterly orientation and overlay crystalline basement displaying a constant heavy mineral assemblage dominated by Ilmenite and noticed to comprise a comparatively low degree of trash minerals. It’s famous {that a} vertical extension to the historic drilling has been recognized within the northern space, with present drill holes intersecting an extra 10m of mineral internet hosting sediments to these beforehand interpreted. Heavy Mineral current within the metallurgical pattern grid is constant alongside strike inside the mineralizing beds and shows predictable mineral composition. Determine 1 beneath shows visible affirmation of HM noticed throughout metallurgical take a look at holes inside the present 2025 infill drilling actions.
Determine 1: HM in drillholes – Left Picture MM01, central picture MM06, proper picture MM57
Metallurgical Pattern
The samples of mineralised sediments required for metallurgical take a look at work at IHC Mining laboratory in Queensland have been collected and dispatched. The samples have been taken from 69 drillholes with these holes broadly consultant of the primary 5 years of deliberate operations (Please see Determine 2 beneath).
The pattern equated to roughly 6 tonnes of fabric and will likely be used to validate the flowsheet designed by IHC and to finish observe up exams to permit improvement of a slimes administration technique for McLaren. As per earlier take a look at work (ref APS ASX Announcement 24 Sept 2024) slimes settling was achieved utilizing addition of three% gypsum, leading to important enchancment in flocculant dosing charges, right down to 150-200g/t.
The take a look at work produced last merchandise of:
- Ilmenite of an acceptable grade to be labeled as sulphate ilmenite
- Rutile of a typical high quality with 95.7% TiO2, 1.49% Fe2O3,
- Zircon of a typical commonplace zircon high quality, noting ranges of U + Th at 265ppm have been thought-about very low.
Water Encountered
In very constructive information, pressurised water has been encountered in 3 holes being drilled within the north-western a part of the recognized deposit space. In these holes saline water flowed freely from the opening whereas the rods have been downhole, and within the second gap the water stream continued after rods have been withdrawn and till the opening was plugged.
The groundwater happens inside a gravel terrace draping basement clays and happens at shallow depth (roughly 20m). The crystalline basement beneath saprolite clays show an quantity of alteration constant to a shearing setting. The situation is identifiable in regional geophysics information adjoining to a small-scale faulting characteristic putting roughly north south. It’s seemingly that the gravel terrace was fashioned in a fluvial drainage characteristic, eroding and incising the softer sheared zones within the basement, later confined by overriding cowl items. Additional investigation will likely be required to find out whether or not the water is of adequate quantity and high quality to help operations.
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