New Frontier Reports 1.72% TREO and 95% Copper Recovery in Latest Quarter
New Frontier Minerals reports significant progress in its Harts Range and NWQ Copper projects, revealing new heavy rare earth prospects and promising copper recovery results that could accelerate production timelines.
- Discovery of new heavy rare earth prospect Old Trafford extending mineralisation corridor
- Bulk sample from Cusp Prospect shows 1.72% TREO with 94.8% heavy rare earth dominance
- GeoDrill appointed for maiden RC drilling campaign pending regulatory approval
- High copper recovery rates from Big One Deposit stockpiles support near-term production
- S.P. Angel appointed as corporate broker to boost UK and European investor engagement
Expanding Rare Earth Horizons at Harts Range
New Frontier Minerals Limited (ASX, NFM) has unveiled a series of encouraging exploration results for the quarter ending September 2025, highlighting the discovery of a new heavy rare earth prospect named Old Trafford at its Harts Range Project in the Northern Territory. This prospect extends the known mineralised corridor by approximately 320 metres west of the Westminster Prospect, contributing to a growing east-west structural corridor now spanning over 2.4 kilometres.
Rock chip assays from Old Trafford and surrounding prospects such as Cusp, Bobs, Paddington, and Westminster confirm significant concentrations of heavy rare earth elements (HREEs), notably dysprosium and terbium, which are critical for high-performance magnets in green technologies. The geology team’s collection of a 25-kilogram bulk sample from the Cusp Prospect yielded a total rare earth oxide (TREO) grade of 1.72%, with an exceptional heavy rare earth oxide (HREO) to TREO ratio of 94.8%, underscoring the premium nature of the mineralisation.
Advancing Towards Drilling and Development
In a strategic move to accelerate exploration, New Frontier appointed GeoDrill Australia, a reputable Queensland-based drilling contractor known for its safety and technical expertise, to conduct the maiden reverse circulation (RC) drilling campaign at Harts Range. While all necessary environmental and regulatory submissions have been lodged, the commencement of drilling awaits final approval from the Northern Territory Mines Department.
Complementing the rare earth focus, the company’s NWQ Copper Project in Queensland demonstrated promising metallurgical results from bulk samples collected at the Big One Deposit. Sequential leach testing revealed copper grades ranging from 3.9% to 11.85% with recovery rates exceeding 83%, and in many cases surpassing 95%, using conventional sulphuric acid leaching methods. These findings align well with processing capabilities at Austral Resources’ Mt Kelly Processing Plant, with whom New Frontier has a memorandum of understanding, potentially fast-tracking the project towards near-term production.
Corporate Moves to Broaden Investor Reach
On the corporate front, New Frontier Minerals appointed S.P. Angel Corporate Finance LLP as its corporate broker to enhance engagement with UK and European institutional investors. This appointment reflects the company’s ambition to broaden its investor base as it advances its portfolio of critical minerals projects. Financially, New Frontier ended the quarter with $1.8 million in cash and liquid investments, providing a solid foundation to support ongoing exploration and development activities.
Overall, the quarter’s results reinforce New Frontier’s position as a growing player in the critical minerals sector, with a diversified portfolio spanning heavy rare earths, niobium, tantalum, uranium, and copper. The combination of new discoveries, robust assay results, and strategic partnerships sets the stage for the company’s next phase of growth.
Bottom Line?
With drilling approvals pending and metallurgical pathways aligning, New Frontier Minerals is poised for a pivotal growth phase in critical minerals development.
Questions in the middle?
- When will regulatory approvals be granted to commence drilling at Harts Range?
- How will the high heavy rare earth ratios impact the economic viability of the Old Trafford and Cusp prospects?
- What are the next steps for integrating Big One Deposit copper stockpiles into near-term production?
