Vital Metals Ltd. said Dec. 13 that it released an updated JORC-compliant resource estimate for the Nechalacho rare earths deposit in Canada's Northwest Territories.

For the Upper Zone deposit, total resources stood at 94.7 million tonnes at 1.46% total rare earth oxide, using a 0.1% neodymium oxide cutoff grade.

Within this resource, the Tardiff zones contained a measured resource of 286,563 tonnes at 2.7% total rare earth oxide and an indicated resource of 1.6 Mt at 2.4% total rare earth oxide, both with a 0.3% neodymium oxide cutoff grade. Inferred resource, meanwhile, stood at 1.3 Mt grading 2.2% total rare earth oxide.

Meanwhile, a resource estimate for the North T deposit hosted an indicated resource of 36,813 tonnes at 1.7% neodymium oxide, and an inferred resource of 23,492 tonnes at 1.4% neodymium oxide.

A drilling and resampling program on the North T deposit, which aims to expand the current resource estimate, was completed in the third quarter, with the results are pending.

In early 2020, the Australia-listed explorer intends to begin a drilling program at the Tardiff zones, which aims to expand the existing high-grade resource.