Blaze Minerals Limited (ASX: BLZ) has announced promising exploration results from its Ntungamo Project in Uganda. The company completed two additional diamond drill holes, NT-DD-002 and NT-DD-003, revealing significant rubidium (Rb) and rare earth element (REE) indications. Peak spot readings from NT-DD-002 include 3,014 ppm Rb (0.33% Rb2O) at 36 meters, 1,395 ppm Nd (1,627 ppm Nd2O3) at 72 meters, and 844 ppm Pr (987 ppm Pr2O3) at 24 meters. NT-DD-003 showed peak readings of 2,057 ppm Rb (0.23% Rb2O) at 234 meters, 2,045 ppm Nd (2,385 ppm Nd2O3) at 29 meters, and 1,018 ppm Pr (1,191 ppm Pr2O3) at 30 meters.
Significant readings from NT-DD-002 included 66 readings >1000ppm Rb, 100 readings >500ppm Nd, and 48 readings >500ppm Pr. NT-DD-003 produced 34 readings >1000ppm Rb, 146 readings >500ppm Nd, and 64 readings >500ppm Pr. Blaze Minerals has dispatched 86 core samples from NT-DD-002 and 111 core samples from NT-DD-003 to ALS Johannesburg for comprehensive multi-element analysis.
Mathew Walker, Director of Blaze Minerals, expressed excitement about the results, highlighting the strong rubidium and REE indications across significant widths. The company believes the increased critical mineral values are linked to the coarse-grained, mica-rich pegmatites. Drilling efforts are now focused on the larger, more mica-rich northern pegmatite based on surface mapping. The six-hole drilling program targets the geometry, grade, and mineralogical zoning of two main pegmatite targets at depth. The Ntungamo Project adjoins the Mwirasandu Tin Mine, historically Uganda’s largest tin producer, which is currently undergoing redevelopment. The company uses a handheld XRF analyser to scan core, identifying mineralised zones for follow-up sampling and laboratory analysis. These initial XRF results are indicative and may differ significantly from laboratory assays.
