Australian junior miner New Frontier Minerals [ASX:NFM] says it has undertaken rare earth distribution analysis of 25 rock chip samples from the primary Cusp and Bobs Prospects at its Harts Range Project, which is located 140km north-east of Alice Springs in the Northern Territory.
The initial key findings show high-value, heavy rare earths in particular Dysprosium Oxide (11.75%) and Terbium Oxide (1.87%), underscoring substantial exploration potential.
Rare earths are a group of 15 elements in the periodic table known as the Lanthanide series. They are categorised into Light Rare Earths (Lanthanum to Samarium) and Heavy Rare Earths (Europium to Lutetium) but can also include Yttrium and Scandium.
Why are Rare Earth discoveries so important?
Although rare earth elements are relatively abundant in the Earth’s crust, their geochemical properties cause them to be widely dispersed. As a result, they are rarely found in economically viable concentrations. This scarcity of easily accessible deposits is what earned them the name “rare earths”.
Rare earth elements are critical for technologies aimed at reducing emissions, lowering energy consumption, and improving efficiency, performance, speed, durability, and thermal stability. They also play a vital role in advancing technologies aimed at making products lighter and more compact.
Rare earth distribution analysis was undertaken on 13 mineralised rock chip samples from the outcropping pegmatite at the Cusp Prospect. Using a Rare Earth Oxide (REO) average of the 13 samples, analysis has confirmed the mineralisation at Cusp to be consistently skewed and dominant towards Heavy Rare Earths (HRE).
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Cusp sample rich in Dysprosium and Terbium
The rare earth sample distribution at Cusp is particularly rich in Dysprosium (11.76%, Dy2O3) and Terbium (1.18%, Tb4O7), with a rare earth basket that comprises over 92% heavy rare earth minerals. The combined Dysprosium and Terbium distribution at the Cusp Prospect makes up 13.63% of the total rare earth oxide (TREO) basket mix.
Ged Hall, Chairman at New Frontier Minerals, said:
“The initial analysis at the Cusp and Bobs Prospects of the Harts Range Project has revealed a strong dominance of heavy rare earth elements, in particular Dysprosium and Terbium, which is highly encouraging. China’s recent announcement to restrict the export of these critical heavy rare earths highlights the urgent need for alternative sources of supply.”
These elements are essential for defence applications and are predominantly supplied and controlled by China, making their availability increasingly rare and strategically important. New Frontier looks well-placed to seize this opportunity.
Distribution analysis was also undertaken at the Bobs Prospect, using a Rare Earth Oxide (REO) average of 12 mineralised rock chip samples from the outcropping pegmatites. Like Cusp, the distribution analysis at Bobs has confirmed a high concentration of Heavy Rare Earths (HRE) mineralisation, particularly rich in Dysprosium (Dy) and Terbium (Tb).
The global demand for Dysprosium reached USD 1,002.2 million in 2024 and is anticipated to grow by 4.9% year-over-year in 2025, bringing total revenue to USD 1,054.3 million by the end of the year. Looking ahead, this demand is expected to surge to USD 1,750.3 million by 2035, with a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 5.2% during the forecast period from 2025 to 2035.
