Mount Ridley Mines gravity model hints at big WA critical minerals upside
- Murray Ward
- 8 hours ago
- 2 min read
Mount Ridley Mines (ASX: MRD)has unveiled a breakthrough at its namesake critical minerals project near Esperance, with sophisticated 3D gravity inversion modelling mapping out massive expansion potential across its already substantial resource footprint.
The fresh modelling, completed by Perth-based Core Geophysics, has confirmed a rock-solid relationship between discrete gravity highs and high-grade rare earths-scandium mineralisation. The results validate the company's geological model, hinting that the current mineralisation may be just the tip of a much larger critical minerals iceberg.
At the heart of the system, a major gravity anomaly exceeding 35 milligals has defined a mineralised “spine” that remains wide open along strike to the south and northeast.
This core feature already hosts the company's significant critical minerals inventory at the Mt Ridley project. The resource already weighs in with a massive 838.7 million tonnes grading 29.3 parts per million (ppm) gallium, 367.9 Mt at 57.3ppm scandium and 122.5 Mt at 889ppm total rare earth oxides.
The fresh modelling also revealed the system’s continuity beyond the current Block 1 and Block 2 resource areas within the project's Grass Patch complex.
Notably, fresh rock is sitting at a relatively shallow depth of 70 to 80 metres, supporting the potential for low-strip resource growth while strengthening the link between the underlying mafic units and the overlying regolith-hosted mineralisation.
With more than 30 kilometres of identified strike already in place, these results materially improve our confidence in the scale and continuity of the system. Mount Ridley Managing Director and CEO Allister Caird
Mount Ridley has now defined two major mineralised corridors - the Western and Eastern trends. While the Western trend hosts the bulk of the current resource and remains open, the Eastern trend remains largely untested despite displaying similar geophysical signatures.
Previous drilling failed to adequately test the depth extent of these anomalies, highlighting clear upside for resource growth both at surface and deeper down.
Beyond its flagship Esperance project, the company holds the Weld Range project in WA, providing further exposure to large-scale mineral systems in a proven mining province.
The company says it’s moving at pace to convert these geophysical wins at Mt Ridley into high-priority targets. A follow-up drill campaign will then be lined up to get the rods turning, with the aim of substantially increasing the resource. Mount Ridley says it’s also planning further metallurgical test work to refine the best recovery route for its multi-element mineralisation.
The latest findings are a serious muscle flex for the junior explorer, having spent the past year piecing together a district-scale story.
With a massive gravity "spine" now confirmed and a clear roadmap for the drill rig, Mount Ridley looks well-placed to show the market exactly how big its critical minerals beast can grow.
Punters will likely be keeping an eye on the horizon as Mount Ridley prepares to potentially unlock the true scale of its WA critical minerals prize.
Is your ASX-listed company doing something interesting? Contact: office@bullsnbears.com.au
