Patagonia Lithium Identifies 10 New Rare Earth Targets at Goiás Tenure in Brazil

Patagonia Lithium (ASX: PL3) has identified 10 new priority locations for rare earth elements (REE) exploration at its Goiás concessions in Brazil after applying a new geophysical targeting system to sharpen its planned auger program.

The Logos system was tested against Patagonia’s existing soil sampling and earlier hyperspectral work before being used with radiometric surveys and an AI screening layer to identify prospective ionic clay locations.

Across a broader set of 25 targets, the modelling generated 15 new mineralisation targets and independently confirmed 10 existing sample locations, with two separate targeting systems locating prospects within single-digit kilometres of each other.

Patagonia will now move to auger and surface sampling before undertaking ground magnetics work to further test the interpreted structure and geology.

Model Passes Blind Tests

Logos operates as a deterministic process model that does not require training datasets or Patagonia’s proprietary data, instead drawing on open geophysical fields including gravity, magnetics, topography, fault geometry, depth, and satellite-derived indices.

Blind testing against Patagonia sample locations returned predictions within a 2km radius in every case, with an average localisation error of 450m, a median error of 280m and the best prediction within 100m.

Testing against five known carbonatite complexes containing REE mineralisation captured all five within 30km, including results 1.3km from the Araxá Carbonatite and 2.6km from Catalão I.

“We were able to utilise the latest AI and other technology to sure up our augur/drill targets in Goiás state to drastically improve our chances of REE discovery in ionic clays,” executive chair Phillip Thomas said.

“This process has been very rewarding so far and we are impressed with the Logos System and its results.”

Targets from Existing Data

Six geochemical field samples carrying total rare earth oxide (TREO) and niobium grades were used as calibration anchors, while target generation incorporated airborne gamma survey data from 872 stations within the licence boundaries.

Patagonia reported a greater than 0.90 correlation between thorium and TREO across two independent surveys flown 31 years apart, providing a further vector for the exploration model.

The model generated predicted TREO content for individual targets, with values reaching as high as 2,295.7ppm and predicted niobium values reaching 245.8ppm, although these remain modelling outputs rather than new assay results.

Previous field sampling identified rare earth anomalism within the broader project area, including samples interpreted to sit within the estimated alteration zone associated with the Catalão carbonatite complex.

Field Testing Comes Next

Patagonia has selected the five highest-ranked new targets for priority ground truthing through soil and rock-chip sampling, with each sitting within the interpreted alteration halo of the Catalão complex.

The 10 targets that coincide with previous sample locations provide a separate test of the targeting approach before Patagonia commits to the next phase of physical exploration.

The company intends to rerun Logos after collecting additional auger samples, using the expanded dataset to further test the emerging relationship between predicted locations and approximate TREO content.

No auger drilling has yet tested the newly generated targets, making the upcoming field program the first direct assessment of whether the modelling translates into REE-bearing ionic clays.