Altona Rare Earths plc plans to include gallium in its fluorspar JORC mineral resource estimate at Monte Muambe in Tete Province, northwest Mozambique.
DRILLING
The decision follows metallurgy work on a sample of gallium-bearing fluorspar ore, which confirmed that the “flotation process would lead to a separation of fluorspar (in the concentrate) and gallium (in the process tailings)”.
This company said that this would provide a “potential two step pathway to recover both fluorspar and gallium”.
Altona also continues resource drilling at Monte Mumabe with the start of drill hole MM111, designed to intercept fluorspar and gallium mineralisation.
The 2,000 metre diamond and reverse circulation drilling will support a new MRE, provide samples for advanced metallurgy and more geological data on associated gallium mineralisation.
The programme is expected to last two months ahead of the MRE, which is due by the end of 2025.
The company has additionally sent 280 soil samples for fluorine assays, which are anticipated to lead to further fluorspar resource at the project.