Core Energy Minerals Reports Yttrium Enrichment at Tunas REE Project
Core Energy Minerals Limited (ASX: CR3) has announced assay results from its first reconnaissance sampling programme at the 100% owned Campo Largo Rare Earth Element (REE) Project in Paraná State, Brazil. The Core Energy Minerals Campo Largo rare earth results in Brazil are turning heads, with multiple rock-chip samples returning Total Rare Earth Oxide (TREO) grades exceeding 1,000 ppm and a standout characteristic: a very high proportion of Magnetic Rare Earth Oxides (MREO), reaching up to 46% MREO in the best sample.
For a first-pass programme, these are compelling numbers. The results confirm the presence of deeply weathered saprolite clay profiles across the project area, a critical indicator for the Ion-Adsorption Clay (IAC) deposit style. This is considered one of the most processing-friendly and valuable types of rare earth mineralisation in the world.
With systematic auger drill testing now scheduled to commence in the current quarter, Campo Largo is rapidly transitioning from a geological concept to a drill-ready target.
The reconnaissance programme covered the 4,369-hectare (43.69 km²) Campo Largo tenement package, consisting of four tenement applications. Sampling targeted outcrop exposures across a variety of lithologies, with a focus on saprolite weathering profiles developed over the Três Córregos Granite.
This Neoproterozoic calc-alkaline to peraluminous granitic intrusion forms the backbone of the project geology and provided an ideal foundation for assessing IAC-style mineralisation potential.
| Sample ID | TREO (ppm) | MREO (ppm) | MREO (%) | NdPr (ppm) | NdPr (%) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ROC0181 | 1,272 | 581 | 46% | 460 | 36% |
| ROC0182 | 1,097 | 450 | 41% | 371 | 34% |
| ROC0402 | 1,041 | 446 | 43% | 345 | 33% |
| ROC0401 | 910 | 386 | 42% | 296 | 33% |
| ROC0384 | 801 | 300 | 37% | 235 | 29% |
These are not isolated high-grade outliers. A total of 19 samples exceeded the 500 ppm TREO threshold, with MREO proportions ranging broadly from 14% to 46%, indicating consistent enrichment in the most commercially valuable rare earth oxides across a wide area of the project.
| Sample ID | TREO (ppm) | MREO (%) | HREO (%) |
|---|---|---|---|
| ROC0181 | 1,272 | 46% | 22% |
| ROC0402 | 1,097 | 41% | 14% |
| ROC0182 | 1,041 | 43% | 25% |
| ROC0183 | 910 | 42% | 27% |
| ROC0401 | 906 | 40% | 13% |
| ROC0395 | 801 | 26% | 11% |
| ROC0384 | 801 | 37% | 13% |
| ROC0411 | 784 | 21% | 6% |
| ROC0391 | 714 | 20% | 6% |
| ROC0189 | 711 | 22% | 6% |
| ROC0406 | 700 | 27% | 7% |
| ROC0379 | 689 | 26% | 10% |
| ROC0359 | 664 | 29% | 8% |
The consistency of MREO enrichment across multiple sample locations confirms that this is not a narrow or isolated occurrence within the project area.
Managing Director Tony Greenaway commented: "These first-pass results from our newly secured Campo Largo Rare Earth Project are an excellent start and reinforce our decision to build a land position in Paraná. Reconnaissance work has identified extensive, deeply weathered saprolite clay profiles across the project area, with assays confirming a very high proportion, up to 41% MREO, of high value magnet rare earth oxides which are critical for EVs, green energy, defence and tech applications."
For investors new to rare earth mineralisation, two concepts are central to understanding why Campo Largo's results are significant.
MREO refers specifically to the rare earth oxides used in the production of permanent magnets — the powerful, lightweight magnets found in electric vehicle (EV) motors, wind turbines, defence systems, and consumer electronics. The group includes Neodymium (Nd), Praseodymium (Pr), Dysprosium (Dy), Terbium (Tb), Gadolinium (Gd), and Samarium (Sm).
Not all rare earth deposits are created equal. Many contain primarily Cerium and Lanthanum — lighter, lower-value elements with limited end-use demand. A deposit with a high MREO proportion is fundamentally more valuable because it contains the elements in highest demand from clean energy and technology supply chains. Furthermore, Campo Largo's MREO proportions of up to 46% are notably elevated compared to many global peers.
The target deposit model at Campo Largo is the Ion-Adsorption Clay (IAC) style, where rare earth elements are held loosely on the surface of clay minerals in weathered granitic profiles. This matters for two key reasons:
The deeply weathered saprolite clay profiles observed across the project area are a direct geological indicator of IAC-style mineralisation potential.
Campo Largo is not a stand-alone greenfields concept. The project sits approximately 60 kilometres southwest of Core Energy's Tunas Project, where a programme of infill auger drilling is currently underway. The geological similarities between the two areas are meaningful, with both interpreted to host intrusive rocks with comparable lithological and geochemical characteristics.
In addition, both areas display elevated uranium, thorium, and potassium (U-Th-K) signatures associated with well-developed weathering profiles and REE enrichment potential. The Campo Largo Project is underlain by the Três Córregos Granite, a Neoproterozoic intrusive body hosted within metasedimentary rocks of the Açungui Group.
Regional structural controls, including NE-SW-trending shear zones, have influenced both the emplacement of the granite and the subsequent development of deep weathering profiles — the host environment for IAC-style mineralisation.
Key geological observations from the reconnaissance programme include:
The reconnaissance phase has defined widespread mineralisation and validated the geological model. Core Energy Minerals Campo Largo rare earth results in Brazil now progress to the next phase with clear, near-term milestones.
| Milestone | Status / Timeline |
|---|---|
| First-pass reconnaissance sampling | Complete |
| Assay results received | Complete |
| Landholder engagement | Complete |
| Permitting and access arrangements | In progress |
| Systematic auger drilling commencement | Current quarter |
| Infill auger drilling at Tunas | Currently in progress |
Current quarter activities include:
The magnetic rare earth elements — particularly Neodymium, Praseodymium, Dysprosium, and Terbium — are central to the permanent magnet supply chain that underpins electric vehicles, wind power, and defence applications. However, supply chains for these elements remain heavily concentrated, making new discoveries strategically significant.
Core Energy Minerals Campo Largo rare earth results in Brazil position the project directly within the most strategically and commercially relevant part of the rare earth sector, at a time when demand for high-MREO deposits is intensifying globally.
Core Energy Minerals is executing a disciplined, step-by-step approach to building a critical minerals portfolio in Brazil. The Campo Largo first-pass results demonstrate the quality of geological targeting the Company has applied in Paraná, securing ground that delivered high-grade, high-MREO results from the very first sampling programme.
Several factors make the coming months particularly important for investors to follow:
Core Energy Minerals has demonstrated, through its very first sampling programme at Campo Largo, that its land selection strategy in Paraná is working. With MREO proportions of up to 46% — among the most commercially valuable rare earth signatures possible — and systematic auger drilling set to commence imminently, the next phase of results could be transformational for the Company's profile. Investors with an interest in the critical minerals space, particularly the rare earth magnet supply chain, should keep a close eye on Core Energy Minerals as it advances Campo Largo from reconnaissance discovery toward a drill-defined resource.
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