Great Western Exploration (ASX: GTE) has used lag soil sampling to define a large new niobium anomaly within its wholly-owned Yerrida North project in Western Australia.

Known as Sumo, the anomaly measures 2 kilometres in length and 1km in width and is located 70km south-east of the high-grade DeGrussa copper-gold project owned by Sandfire Resources (ASX: SFR).

It is also situated 30km north-east of Great Western’s Oval and Oval South targets, where drilling is set to start later this month.

Heavy mineral program

Great Western has completed a heavy mineral concentrate program across the Sumo anomaly, which involved taking soil samples across the area of anomalism and completing a spectral analysis to define niobium and associated mineralogy.

The process aimed to determine the niobium mineralisation style and define a forward exploration program at the target, with results expected before the end of October.

Sumo’s prospectivity is highlighted by coincident pathfinder geochemistry that supports the potential for a niobium-mineralised system.

It is reported to contain elements commonly associated with carbonatite niobium deposits such as arsenic, silver, molybdenum, antimony, tungsten, zirconium and uranium.

Full ownership

Great Western assumed full ownership of Yerrida North in August 2023, following Sandfire’s withdrawal from a joint venture formed in 2017 to advance the project.

Over a six-year period, Sandfire spent more than $4.5 million on exploration at Yerrida North and worked up a comprehensive geological data package that has since reverted to Great Western.

The package included targets that had been identified but not drill tested, including the Oval South anomaly, which has been interpreted as a potential mineralised intrusion warranting further exploration.

The company anticipates more prospective targets will be defined as it assesses the dataset, undertakes field work and completes further geological interpretation.