Locksley Resources takes to the skies in Californian rare earths/antimony hunt
- James Pearson
- 5 days ago
- 3 min read
Locksley Resources (ASX: LKY) has taken to the skies above its exciting Mojave project in California, launching a high-resolution helicopter magnetic and radiometric survey designed to uncover a new set of antimony and rare earths drill targets.
The program, operated by Colorado-based EDCON-PRJ, is running 40-metre flight lines flown just 35 metres above the Mojave surface. It is being managed by SGC, an Australian-based geophysical company.
SGC will be handling everything from data capture to processing, leading to the all-important structural interpretation that will guide Locksley’s next drill phase.
With five times the data density of past surveys run by the United Stated Geological Society (USGS), which used 100-by-200 metre line spacings, it should deliver crystal-clear imagery and pick up any hidden mineralised structures missed by older datasets.
The new survey has been designed for a double shot of exploration firepower. The magnetic readings will trace the north-northeast structures known to host antimony at the DAM and Hendricks prospects.
Meanwhile, the radiometric component will be used to chase down spikes in thorium levels - the tell-tale fingerprint of rare earths-rich carbonatites waiting to be drilled.
Management says the company’s approach to exploration has already paid dividends. Systematic mapping recently uncovered the high-grade Hendricks silver prospect, where assays up to 219 grams per tonne silver confirm the ground’s prospectivity.
Hendricks sits 2.5 kilometres east of Locksley’s prime antimony target, the old Desert antimony mine (DAM) - last mined in 1937 and one of only four known high-grade occurrences of antimony in the US.
Rock chips recovered from the old mine earlier in the year added to the buzz when one sample returned a barnstorming 46 per cent antimony and more than 1 kilogram per tonne silver, setting the scene for a renewed exploration push at Mojave.
When the chopper touches down in early November, SGC will take charge of the fresh data and transform it into a new batch of drill targets for Locksley’s 2026 exploration drive.
Management says the survey ties neatly into a broader push that includes LiDAR mapping and the reprocessing of older gravity and satellite imagery to build a detailed 3D geological model of the Mojave project.
At the same time, Locksley is preparing to conduct a detailed map of the old timers workings at DAM. Underground conditions permitting, the company says it plans to move ahead with sampling and drilling next year in efforts to unlock the potential hidden treasures still lurking beneath.
Undertaking this high-resolution survey builds on the foundational datasets which Locksley is acquiring to fast-track exploration activities across Mojave. Our exploration strategy is to both advance the already identified El Campo REE and Desert antimony mine prospects through drilling, whilst simultaneously aggressively exploring across the rest of our claims to grow the project pipeline.
Locksley Resources Managing Director and CEO Kerrie Matthews
The Mojave project sits in the heart of the Mojave Desert and lies immediately adjacent to the giant Mountain Pass rare earths mine owned by MP Materials. The project shares the same geological corridor known to host some of the richest rare earths and antimony mineralisation in the United States.
Washington is pushing hard to rebuild its domestic critical minerals supply chain in the wake of a massive global supply squeeze - and antimony is suddenly top of the list.
China, which supplies 78 per cent of global demand, slapped an export ban on the metal in 2024, sending the price rocketing 300 per cent to more than US $55,000 (A$82,000) per tonne.
Against that backdrop, Locksley’s timing looks impeccable. The company is chasing a first-mover advantage as the United States’ only integrated mine-to-market antimony producer, combining resource development with cutting-edge processing technology.
By partnering with Houston’s Rice University - a leading institution in advanced materials research - Locksley appears to be taking a front row seat in America’s drive for critical mineral independence.
As the helicopter sweeps across the Californian desert skies conducting a high-resolution survey, the data it gathers could very well hold the key to the company’s next big discovery.
Punters will no doubt be watching closely.
Is your ASX-listed company doing something interesting? Contact: office@bullsnbears.com.au
