The project, which now covers 576sq.km near the town of Kellerberrin, about 200km east of Perth in Western Australia's Wheatbelt region, saw 49 holes completed last November, and the assays show the work intersected some shallow, high-grade mineralisation in the clays.

 

Assays were headlined by 3m at 1602 parts per million total rare earth oxides from 8m, within 25m at 837ppm TREO from 6m, with magnet REO of 173ppm.

 

Another hole returned 3m at 1126ppm from 6m, within 36m at 639ppm and 131ppm MREO from surface. 

 

The best and thickest zones of mineralisation appear to be associated with magnetic highs.

 

The mineralisation is open in all directions.

 

White Cliff, which has been pulling together a new portfolio targeting REEs and lithium in WA over the past year, described the results as "extremely positive".

 

Technical director Ed Mead said the mineralisation was present from surface, through the oxidisation profile, and into the basement.

 

"It appears at this early stage that the granitoid basement is highly elevated in REEs and the REE clays are the weathered granitoid," he said.

 

Hines Hill sits within salt affected broad acre farmland, which means exploration can continue year-round. 

 

Once it has the results from a geochemical roadside sampling program completed over the remainder of Hines Hill, and the adjacent North Kellerberrin permit to the west, White Cliff plans to resume drilling next month.

 

The explorer was attracted to the area due to presence of two magnetic features it interpreted to be a possible carbonatite intrusion.

 

The drilling targeted the larger 5sq.km north-earthen anomaly to a maximum depth of 92m. The south-west anomaly covers some 2sq.km.

 

White Cliff raised A$1.7 million in the September quarter and started the year with about $2 million cash.

 

Shares in the junior were up 23% this morning at 1.6c, valuing the company at $12 million.

 

It has traded at 1-4.1c over the past year.