A resources exploration company will drill test for rare earth elements in South Australia’s Mallee region, after initial results have been “encouraging”.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Kaili Resources Limited carried out testing in September 2025 at a number of roadside sites in its three tenements, around Lameroo, Karoonda and Karte, about 200 kilometres east of Adelaide.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Following testing, the company penned a letter to the ASX sharemarket to report on the results.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Principal geologist Mark Derriman told the ABC that while it was clear there were rare earth elements in the Mallee, higher concentrations would need to be found to warrant any future mining plans.\u00a0<\/p>\n
“We do our drilling, and we send the samples into a laboratory in Adelaide, and they come back with the elements and that’ll give us a parts per million (ppm) value,” Mr Derriman said.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Total Rare Earth Oxide (TREO) is the measurement used to determine the combined concentration and oxide value from all rare elements found in a sample at a specific location.<\/p>\n
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Dysprosium is a rare earth element used in magnets because of its resistance to demagnetisation at high temperatures. (Supplied: Northern Minerals)<\/p>\n
Mr Derriman said its September results were encouraging, but ideal concentrations would need to be almost double this amount.<\/p>\n
“We did get three [results] that were between 400 and 550 ppm, so that’s certainly very encouraging,” he said.<\/p>\n
“Other explorers working in and around our tenements are achieving the same levels and higher than we’ve received.<\/p>\n
“We’re encouraged by others getting up towards about 1,000 ppm total earth oxides.”<\/p>\n
Mr Derriman said the company would conduct more drill testing along public roadsides in the first quarter of 2026, with holes about 250 or 500 metres apart.\u00a0<\/p>\n
From the ground to the globe\u00a0<\/p>\n
There are about 17 rare earth elements, which can be found at the bottom of the periodic table.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Despite their title, they are not as rare as their name suggests.<\/p>\n