New Frontier Minerals Ltd (LSE and ASX: NFM) is pleased to announce that it has entered into a binding option and earn-in agreement providing NFM with the right to acquire a majority (90%) interest in the Pomme REE Project from Australian-listed company Metallium (ASX: MTM), which is located approximately 500 km northwest of Montréal in Québec around 100 km from the service town of Lebel-sur-Quévillon. The Pomme Project consists of 43 mineral claims, covering 2,400 ha. NFM holds the exclusive and binding option to acquire 90% of the Pomme REE-Nb project.
Highlights
- Binding option and staged earn-in agreement executed to acquire 90% of the Pomme Project, which is a large carbonatite-hosted Rare Earth Element (REE) and Niobium (Nb) Project in Québec
- Strategic alignment and acquisition from Metallium Limited (ASX: MTM) deepens the Harts Range vertical integration1 and adds a complementary Canadian asset to create a western world jurisdictional partnership
- Metallium to assist as processing and technology partner, supporting metallurgical test work and downstream development
- Initial activities will target conventional metallurgical studies work and Flash Joule Heating (FJH) test work on existing drill samples to assess the potential for upgrading REE mineralisation
- Limited wide spaced scout drilling undertaken to date with high grade known mineralisation and large areas remaining untested from reconnaissance drilling
- Pomme REE Carbonatite key historical intercepts2,8 include:
- Drillhole POM-23-03: 398m @ 0.54% TREO & 0.05% Nb2O5 from 16m, including:
- 30.5m @ 1.13% TREO & 0.03% Nb2O5 (from 311.5m) including
- 26.5m @ 1.45% TREO & 0.02% Nb2O5
- 51m @ 0.92% TREO & 0.06% Nb2O5 (from 216m) including
- 9m @ 1.21% TREO & 0.03% Nb2O5 and
- 8.5m @ 1.62% TREO & 0.03% Nb2O5
- 36m @ 0.92% TREO & 0.06% Nb2O5 (from 174m) including
- 18m @ 1.16% TREO & 0.03% Nb2O5
- Drillhole POM-23-01: 513m @ 0.33% TREO & 0.08% Nb2O5 from 32m, including:
- 17.5m @ 0.68% TREO & 0.08% Nb2O5 (from 228.6m) including
- 7.6m @ 0.9% TREO & 0.02% Nb2O5, and
- 94.8m @ 0.55% TREO & 0.05% Nb2O5 (from 333.5m) including
- 4.5m @ 1% TREO & 0.02% Nb2O5, and
- 4.9m @ 1.1% TREO & 0.02% Nb2O5, and
- 4.25m @ 1.28% TREO & 0.02% Nb2O5, and
- 17m @ 0.72% TREO & 0.06% Nb2O5
- The project comprises easily accessible claims via logging roads, has access to hydro-electric power, relatively flat topography, and is supported by extensive mining infrastructure and services2
- Low cost upfront consideration A$100,000 cash and A$200,000 in shares with contingent payments to earn a majority project interest through staged investment and technical milestones
- Government support and existing arrangements with local Cree First Nations of Waswanipi (CFNW) community2
- NFM (OTCQB:NFMXF) has engaged New York-based Viriathus Investor Advisory to expand its profile and actively promote the Company to US investors and capital markets
Chairman Gerrard Hall commented: ‘This transaction materially advances NFM’s critical minerals strategy. Pomme is a large, carbonatite-hosted REE system in a proven Québec district, with historical drilling having already confirmed scale and continuity. The earn-in structure provides a capital-efficient pathway for growth, while early integration of Metallium as processing and technology partner further enhances the opportunity. The Board believes Pomme’s scale, location and upside strongly position NFM to deliver meaningful shareholder value.’
John Hannaford, Chairman of Metallium, said: ‘We are delighted to partner with NFM in advancing and unlocking the full potential of the Pomme rare earths project. New Frontier brings strong exploration capability and a disciplined, value-driven approach to discovery, which we believe can materially enhance the scale and quality of the mineralised system. When combined with Metallium’s proprietary processing technologies and a comprehensive metallurgical test-work program, this partnership has the potential to support value uplift across both the resource and downstream development pathways.’
POMME CARBONATITE REE PROJECT
The Project is located approximately 500 km northwest of Montréal in Québec, around 100 km from the service town of Lebel-sur-Quévillon, approximately 50 km west of the Waswanipi Cree First Nation community, and benefits from easy access via established logging roads (Figure 1)2. The Project comprises 43 mineral claims, covering approximately 2,400 ha area and is located 7km from the world class Montviel Deposit, which has a total Indicated and Inferred resource of 266 Mt @ 1.46% TREO and 0.14% Nb2O5.
Figure 1: Regional location map showing Pomme Project, in Québec, Canada2
MTM Critical Metals (a 100% subsidiary of ASX:MTM) has completed a 13-hole diamond drilling program totalling approximately 5,718 metres at its Pomme Rare Earth Element and Niobium Project in Québec, Canada2. Carbonatite-hosted REE-Nb mineralisation was intersected in every drill hole, confirming the presence of a large, laterally extensive mineralised system exceeding 2 km² that remains open at depth (Figure 2).
The historic work program has significantly advanced the geological understanding of the complex, with early interpretations indicating that higher-grade mineralisation occurs within a ring structure surrounding a magnetic ultramafic carbonatite core.
Drill holes POM-23-03, POM 23-01 and POM 23-07 to the southwest of the mineralised carbonatite returned broad mineralised intervals with multiple high-grade TREO intersections, supporting strong geological similarities to the nearby world-class Montviel carbonatite deposit.
Importantly, large portions of this prospective ring structure remain untested due to the broad drill spacing, presenting clear potential for further discovery through follow-up drilling.
Figure 2: MTM scout drilling at the Pomme Project area overlain on airborne magnetic image (TMI, 1VD)
STRATEGY AND DEVELOPMENT OPPORTUNITY
The Pomme Project provides NFM with a highly capital-efficient, low-risk entry into a strategically located Canadian rare earth asset via a two-year option structure requiring upfront consideration of A$100,000 in cash and A$200,000 in NFM shares and minimum annual expenditure of A$100,000 per annum during the option period. This staged earn-in framework enables NFM to progressively earn a majority (90%) interest through defined technical and investment milestones, significantly limiting upfront capital exposure while preserving substantial upside.
- Initial work programs will focus on conventional metallurgical test work alongside the application of Metallium’s proprietary Flash Joule Heating (FJH) technology to existing drill core, targeting the production of upgraded rare earth concentrates and early validation of a scalable, low-cost processing pathway that has the potential to materially enhance project economics.
- The Pomme Project presents compelling exploration upside, having been subject to only limited, widely spaced drilling to date, with drill lines approximately 500 metres apart2. Despite this early-stage drill density, high-grade rare earth element intersections have already been identified within a large, laterally extensive carbonatite system, highlighting the potential for significant growth through follow-up drilling targeting near surface higher grade zones of rare earth mineralistion.
The existing results indicate that higher-grade zones of mineralisation remain open, providing New Frontier Minerals with a strong opportunity to materially expand the scale and grade of mineralisation through systematic infill and step-out drilling programs.
METALLIUM TECHNOLOGY PARTNERSHIP
The acquisition deepens the Harts Range vertical integration with MTM1, adds a highly complementary Canadian asset, and creates a compelling Western-world partnership with MTM across Australia and Canada, delivering value for shareholders.
NFM’s binding commercial framework with Metallium also establishes a strategic technology partnership that is directly applicable to the advancement of the Pomme REE-Nb Project in Québec. Under this framework, MTM’s proprietary Flash Joule Heating (FJH) technology has demonstrated encouraging sighter beneficiation results on raw rare earth ore, producing high-grade, Dy/Tb-rich concentrates without conventional flotation, acid leaching or reagent-intensive processing.
The REE concentration enhancement and impurity rejection results observed through the aforementioned FJH test work indicate potential to support alternative downstream processing pathways for carbonatite-hosted rare earth projects such as Pomme, compared to conventional techniques. Alignment with MTM provides NFM with early integration of advanced metallurgical test work, access to MTM’s Texas Technology Campus for testing, and a clear potential pathway to Western-aligned rare earth supply chains, including U.S. magnet and defence markets, reinforcing the strategic value of the Pomme Project within a vertically integrated rare earth development strategy.
NEXT STEPS
Preliminary metallurgical test work
Selection of diamond drill core for characterisation tests and accelerate metallurgical assessment on existing diamond core samples, utilising conventional metallurgical test work and tailored MTM Flash Joule Heating (FJH) processing technology to beneficiate and upgrade REE sample.
Model geology, drilling and target high-grade mineralisation
Integration of geological logging, assay results and geophysics into 3D model and identification of continuous higher grade zones for follow-up drilling.
OPTION AND EARN-IN TERMS
The Pomme Project consists of 43 mineral claims, covering 2,400 ha. New Frontier Minerals holds the exclusive and binding option to acquire 90% of the Pomme REE-Nb project from Metallium.
Key Terms Summary – Pomme Rare Earth Project Option & Earn up to 90% interest in the project tenements from Metallium Ltd (via its option to acquire 100% of Critical Element Exploration Pty Ltd, holder of the GeoMega option).
Option Terms and Earn-in Terms
Option Fee:
- A$100,000 cash (A$50,000 already paid as an exclusivity deposit)
- A$200,000 in NFM shares, (issued at 5-day VWAP, 6-months escrow)
- Option Period: Commences on access to historic drill samples for 24-month duration with exclusive rights to manage exploration and technical work during the option period
Stage 1 – Option Exercise (Initial Earn-In)
Upon exercise of the option at any time during the Option Period (subject to conditions precedent), NFM must pay the following option exercise fee:
- Cash: A$150,000
- Equity: A$200,000 in NFM shares (20-day VWAP, 6-month escrow)Result: Entry into Joint Venture and commencement of staged earn-in
- Minimum annual expenditure of A$100,000 per annum
Exercise of the Option is conditional upon the satisfaction (or waiver as applicable) of the following conditions precedent:
- Due diligence: completion of financial, legal and technical due diligence on the Tenements, to the absolute satisfaction of NFM;
- Third party approvals: the Parties obtaining all third party approvals and consents, necessary to lawfully complete the matters set out in this Agreement;
- Deeds of assignment and assumption: MTM, NFM executing a deed of assignment and assumption in relation to all material agreements;
- Joint Venture Agreement: the Parties entering into a definitive Joint Venture Agreement consistent with the terms and conditions set out in the binding Agreement;
- MTM and/ or its subsidiaries being the 100% legal and beneficial owner of the Tenements; and
- Technology Licence Agreement: MTM and NFM entering into a definitive Technology Licence Agreement consistent with the terms and conditions set out in the binding Agreement;
- (together, the Conditions Precedent).
Stage 2 – JORC Resource Milestone (within 3 years)
- Minimum Spend: A$2.0 million
- Interest Earned: 80% project interest
- Milestone Payment: A$250,000 cash and A$250,000 in NFM shares (20-day VWAP, 6-month escrow) upon earning an 80% interest
Stage 3 – Pre-Feasibility Study Milestone (within 5 years)
- Minimum Spend: A$3.0 million
- Interest Earned: 90% project interest
- Milestone Payment: A$250,000 cash and A$250,000 in NFM shares (20-day VWAP, 6-month escrow) upon earning a 90% interest
Residual Interest & FJH Royalty
- Vendor retains 10% free-carried interest to DFS
- If diluted below 10%, interest converts to a 1.5% NSR royalty on material processed through Metallium’s FJH facility
- Existing third-party royalties (GeoMega/Niogold) remain in place
Technology Alignment
- Metallium retains ownership of its Flash Joule Heating (FJH) processing technology
- Parties may enter into a separate technology licence agreement, including per-tonne fees, annual licence fees, and royalties (commercial terms to be negotiated)
About New Frontier Minerals
New Frontier Minerals Limited is an Australian-based focussed explorer, with a strategy to develop multi-commodity assets that demonstrate future potential as an economic mining operation. Through the application of disciplined and structured exploration, New Frontier has identified assets deemed core and is actively progressing these interests up the value curve. Current focus will be on advancing exploration activity at the Harts Range Niobium, Uranium and Heavy Rare Earths Project which is circa 140km north-east from Alice Springs in the Northern Territory.
Other interests include the NWQ Copper Project, situated in the copper-belt district circa 150km north of Mt Isa in Queensland.
New Frontier Minerals is listed on the LSE and ASX under the ticker ‘NFM’.
Competent Persons Statement
The scientific and technical information in this announcement, which relates to exploration results, preliminary sequential metallurgical results and the geology of the deposits described, is based on information compiled and approved for release by Mark Biggs. Mark Biggs is a Member of The Australasian Institute of Mining and Metallurgy (AusIMM Member # 107188) and meets the requirements of a Competent Person as defined by the 2012 Edition of the Australasian Code for Reporting of Exploration Results, Mineral Resources and Ore Reserves (JORC Code 2012 Edition). Mark Biggs has 35 years of experience relevant to Rare Earth Elements (REE), industrial mineral copper mineralisation types, as well as expertise in the quality and potential mining methods of the deposits under consideration. Additionally, he has 25 years of experience in the estimation, assessment, and evaluation of exploration results and mineral resource estimates, which are the activities for which he accepts responsibility. He also successfully completed an AusIMM Online Course Certificate in 2012 JORC Code Reporting. Mark Biggs is a consultant with ROM Resources and was engaged by New Frontier Minerals Limited to prepare the documentation for several prospects, specifically those within the Harts Range Prospects upon which the Report is based.
Furthermore, the full nature of the relationship between himself and New Frontier Minerals Limited has been disclosed, including any potential conflicts of interest. Mark Biggs is a director of ROM Resources, a company that is a shareholder of New Frontier Minerals Limited, and ROM Resources provides occasional geological consultancy services to New Frontier Minerals Limited. The Report or excerpts referenced in this statement have been reviewed, ensuring that they are based on and accurately reflect, in both form and context, the supporting documentation relating to exploration results and any mineral resource estimates. The release of the Report and this statement has been consented to by the Directors of New Frontier Minerals Limited. Mr Biggs consents to the inclusion in this announcement of the matters based on his information and supporting documents in the form and context in which it appears.
Forward Looking Statements
Certain information in this document refers to the intentions of New Frontier Minerals Ltd, but these are not intended to be forecasts, forward-looking statements, or statements about future matters for the purposes of the Corporations Act or any other applicable law. The occurrence of events in the future is subject to risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause New Frontier Minerals Ltd’s actual results, performance, or achievements to differ from those referred to in this announcement. Accordingly, New Frontier Minerals Ltd, its directors, officers, employees, and agents, do not give any assurance or guarantee that the occurrence of the events referred to in this announcement will occur as contemplated. The interpretations and conclusions reached in this announcement are based on current geological theory and the best evidence available to the authors at the time of writing. It is the nature of all scientific conclusions that they are founded on an assessment of probabilities and, however high these probabilities might be, they make no claim for complete certainty. Any economic decisions that might be taken based on interpretations or conclusions contained in this announcement will therefore carry an element of risk. The announcement may contain forward-looking statements that involve several risks and uncertainties. These risks include but are not limited to, economic conditions, stock market fluctuations, commodity demand and price movements, access to infrastructure, timing of approvals, regulatory risks, operational risks, reliance on key personnel, Ore Reserve and Mineral Resource estimates, native title, foreign currency fluctuations, exploration risks, mining development, construction, and commissioning risk. These forward-looking statements are expressed in good faith and believed to have a reasonable basis. These statements reflect current expectations, intentions or strategies regarding the future and assumptions based on currently available information. Should one or more of the risks or uncertainties materialise, or should underlying assumptions prove incorrect, actual results may vary from the expectations, intentions and strategies described in this announcement. No obligation is assumed to update forward-looking statements if these beliefs, opinions, and estimates should change or to reflect other future developments.
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