Volta Metals Reports 7.37% REO and 252.7 G/t Ga in Springer Drill
Volta Metals highlights high-grade magnet rare earths and gallium intersected at Springer, noting the deposit remains open for expansion.
Key points
- SL26-28 intersected 1.5m at 7.37% TREO and 252.7 g/t gallium oxide, including high magnet rare earth grades.
- Gallium mineralization is present over the entire assayed length of all three drill holes at Springer.
- Volta states the deposit remains open for expansion, with mineralization extending into new rock types.
Volta Metals Ltd. announced assay results from three drill holes at its Springer Rare Earth Element-Gallium deposit near Sturgeon Falls, Ontario. The company identified a 1.5-meter interval in hole SL26-28 grading 7.37% total rare earth oxide and 252.7 grams per tonne of gallium oxide. This interval also contained significant concentrations of magnet rare earth elements, including 10,579 g/t neodymium oxide and 3,540 g/t praseodymium oxide.
According to a report by Mining.com, the broader 214.5-meter section of SL26-28 averaged 0.80% TREO and 63.8 g/t gallium oxide. Drill hole SL26-34 intersected high-grade heavy rare earth mineralization near the surface, with a 1.65-meter interval grading 1.15% TREO and 66.8 g/t gallium oxide. These results confirm that gallium mineralization extends throughout the assayed lengths of all three holes, a parameter currently excluded from the Springer mineral resource estimate.
Gallium grades exceed previous expectations
Volta stated that the gallium mineralization in this specific area of the deposit is richer than previously projected. The company noted that SL26-28 remained within gallium mineralization down to 507 meters, indicating vertical continuity. Two additional holes extended the mineralization into rock types that had not been previously considered prospective, thereby expanding the geological footprint of the system.
Deposit remains open for expansion
Kerem Usenmez, President and CEO of Volta, said the results demonstrate significant growth potential for the Springer property. He emphasized that rare earths are essential for permanent magnets, while gallium is increasingly critical for semiconductors and electronics. The company highlighted that North America remains heavily dependent on foreign supply for these strategic mineral groups.
Continuing to expand both the scale and grade of the Springer system strengthens the foundation for an upcoming resource update. The assay data shows that heavy rare earth oxides make up a significant portion of the total rare earth oxide in certain high-grade intervals, such as the 19.5% share noted in the SL26-34 results.
