New mapping push by Locksley Resources set to unlock US rare earths riches

Locksley Resources is ramping up exploration at its Californian Mojave project, with a new mapping survey due to kick off later in the month, which aims to unlock critical rare earths and antimony potential.

With the race for US rare earths intensifying, Locksley Resources (ASX: LKY) is wasting no time gearing up to drill a clutch of high-priority rare earth element (REE) and antimony targets on the North Block of its Mojave project in California.

The rigs are poised to roll in soon, with Bureau of Land Management approvals expected by September, firing up what the company says will be a pivotal stage in its critical minerals campaign.

The drilling will follow an expanded geological and structural mapping campaign due to kick off in late August, targeting four priority areas within the North Block claims.

The mapping program will zero in on two prime zones brimming with rare earth potential, while also marking out two promising strike extensions to the northeast and southwest of the Desert antimony prospect.

Beyond charting the ground, Locksley says it has enlisted advanced geophysical surveys, including magnetics, radiometrics and gravity to sharpen the target zones with pinpoint high-resolution data.

The Desert antimony prospect sits next to an historic antimony mine, which recently threw up rock chip samples grading a staggering 46 per cent antimony. Antimony is a critical metal with no domestic US production and is heavily used in defence systems and electronics.

Adding to the buzz, the North Block also sits literally shoulder to shoulder with US mining giant MP Materials’ famed Mountain Pass rare earths mine – a geographic position that instantly elevates the project’s potential.

Mountain Pass isn’t just any old rare earths project - it’s America’s only operating rare earths mine and the beating heart of the country’s critical minerals supply chain reboot.

When it first made waves back in 1952, the mine stunned the world with a massive 7 per cent total rare earths grade, setting a global benchmark that stood for decades.

From the 1960s through the 1990s, Mountain Pass dominated as the world’s top rare earth source, until China stepped in and took control of the market.

Hosted in rare earth-rich carbonatite rock formations, laced with fenite and trachyte dykes, Mountain Pass remains vital, not only as a mine but also as home to one of the very few rare earths processing plants in the US.

Today, the mine’s strategic importance has skyrocketed attracting a major investment from the Pentagon and a cool US$500 million from tech bellwether Apple, highlighting the critical role the mine plays in the country’s national security.

The start of additional field mapping programs at the Mojave Project will provide additional field data which may provide new REE targets for follow up later in the year.

Locksley Resources Technical Director Julian Woodcock

Once regulatory approvals are locked in, Locksley plans to combine its geological modelling with earlier surface sampling to define a solid JORC exploration target. The company has also engaged metallurgical experts to develop a cutting-edge test work program focused on boosting rare earth and antimony recovery rates.

The hunt for rare earths in the North Block aims to add inventory to the strong existing results from the El Campo prospect, which lies a few kilometres to the south. Recent rock chip samples at El Campa have returned eye-watering total rare earth oxide (TREO) grades up to 12.1 per cent and neodymium - praseodymium values of 3.19 per cent.

Beyond exploration and drilling, Locksley has already engaged Washington-based advisory firm Viriathus Capital to promote its credentials. The US-based advisory group has been recruited to take the lead on government relations, secure capital markets exposure and open doors to the US defense and energy departments.

The company is also actively pursuing downstream partnerships aligned with US government mandates to build a fully integrated domestic critical minerals supply chain through tie-ups with processing technologies and e-waste recycling systems.

With drill rigs expected to turn soon, the company is poised to potentially become a significant player in America’s push for critical mineral independence.

For punters this next exploration phase represents a major catalyst. The combination of strategic location, compelling assay results, and timely regulatory progress sets up a compelling story of discovery and growth in a highly sought-after sector.

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