Core Energy Minerals has started on ground exploration activities at its Itambe rare earth project in Brazil, aiming to define drill targets for the project.
The first stage of the fully-funded exploration campaign aims to expand the large, high-grade soil anomalies identified by previous exploration completed by Rio Tinto.
The company will also undertake preliminary reconnaissance mapping and sampling across the unexplored Itambe tenement, and to define new prospective target areas.
The planned priority one exploration campaign at Itambe will comprise an estimated 40 auger holes for 400 metres, across five drill traverses to test the regolith profile underneath the soil anomalies.
The campaign will also include approximately 900 soil samples to the north of the main existing anomaly at Itambe.
Core Energy Managing Director Tony Greenaway said: “We have built a highly prospective portfolio of projects in Brazil focusing on rare earth elements, with proven high-grade anomalism at surface at both our new Itambe project and our existing Tunas project.
“Our systematic approach to exploration will see us focusing on expanding the existing anomalies at both Itambe and Tunas, with the aim of better understanding these mineralising systems, to define targets for maiden drilling campaigns at both projects, to commence drilling in the second quarter of 2026.”
The Itambe project is located in the mining district of Bahia state and covers 317 square kilometres at the southern end of the highly prospective Rocha da Rocha rare earth province.
The company’s strategy is to define drill targets in the first quarter of 2026 and commence drilling in the second quarter.