Newly-named Critica has revealed a significant new rare earths discovery at its Brothers project near Mount Magnet in Western Australia’s Mid West region, after air-core (AC) drilling intersected broad zones of clay-hosted mineralisation across a strike of more than 8km.

The wide-spaced, thick zones of high-ratio magnet rare earths mineralisation suggest the potential for major resource expansion at the project, with further results still pending from the drill bit. The new discovery sits some 40km to the east of the company’s flagship Jupiter deposit.

Among the standout results from the latest drilling campaign is an intersection of 8m at 4256 parts per million total rare earth oxides (TREO), with broader zones of 46m at 1675ppm and 34m running at 2293ppm. With 64 AC holes drilled in the program to date and results pending for 48 of them, Critica (formerly Venture Minerals before a name change last week) says it is now anticipating further high-grade results.

‘The high ‘strike rate’ we are seeing from such broad-spaced, first- pass, regional drilling is particularly pleasing.’

Critica managing director Philippa Leggat

Multiple zones of key mineralisation are expected after the new discovery reported up to 34 per cent magnet rare earth oxides (MREO) – which is significantly higher than the 20 to 25 per cent clay-hosted rare earths average. The results also include significant values for the crucial heavy rare earth oxides (HREO), dysprosium and terbium.

All are highly sought-after for permanent magnets and magnetostrictive devices used in electric vehicles (EVs) and the green-energy transition.

Critica managing director Philippa Leggat said: “The high ‘strike rate’ we are seeing from such broad-spaced, first-pass, regional drilling is particularly pleasing. Having had such great success from our drilling at Jupiter, the Team is excited to see satellite discoveries starting to emerge around the project.”

The company’s latest discovery strengthens its broader Brothers project, which now spans a prospective 1353 square kilometres of clay-rich granites in WA’s Mid West region. While the satellite discovery zones show significant early potential, they will likely remain second fiddle to the Jupiter project where Critica has established an enviable registry of high-grade rare earths intersections.

Since its discovery late last year, Jupiter has regularly produced rare earths intercepts exceeding 5000ppm TREO and occasionally rose to more than 6000ppm. One hole in the far northern part of Jupiter intersected 9m at 5020ppm TREO from 22m including 4m going 9550ppm from 24m.