en.Wedoany.com Reported - American Rare Earths Ltd (ASX:ARR, OTCQX:ARRNF) is advancing drilling at its flagship asset, the Halleck Creek rare earth project in Wyoming, with the aim of determining the next development path for its U.S. critical minerals portfolio. Fieldwork in 2026 focuses on Halleck Creek, with drilling already underway in the Cowboy State Mine area to support the project's feasibility study. Additionally, the company is advancing technical reviews and target screening at projects including La Paz in Arizona, Beaver Creek in Wyoming, and Searchlight in Nevada.
At Halleck Creek, American Rare Earths launched a drilling program in May, deploying up to 19 holes in the Red Mountain area of Cowboy State Mine, expected to yield approximately 3,050 meters of HQ-sized core. The program aims to lay the groundwork for subsequent ore reserve estimation, verify the extension of mineralization at depth and west of the existing drilling range, and provide samples for geotechnical, hydrogeological, environmental assessments, and metallurgical testing. To date, five holes have been completed, with core being processed and sent for analysis. Due to the overall busy drilling season in North America, results are expected to take about six weeks to return.
Concurrent with drilling, the company has initiated a comprehensive development assessment of the broader Halleck Creek land package. This assessment, running from April 2026 through year-end, focuses on integrating geological, metallurgical, mining, and permitting data across the project area to develop a strategic development roadmap covering Red Mountain, Overton Mountain, and Bluegrass, extending beyond the initial Cowboy State Mine plan. American Rare Earths CEO Mark Wall noted that 2026 is a pivotal year for the company, advancing the Halleck Creek project through feasibility studies while expanding the U.S. exploration pipeline. He stated that drilling has commenced for the feasibility study, while the overall assessment helps determine the long-term expansion path for the broader area.
Beyond Halleck Creek, the company is also advancing reviews and field planning for other U.S. assets. At Beaver Creek in Wyoming, the company plans to conduct supplementary geological mapping and surface sampling in 2026 to deepen geological understanding and enrich the project database. Historical grab samples from the area show total rare earth oxide grades ranging from 5.8% to 13.9%, with NdPr proportions between 1.0% and 2.2%. Mineralization occurs in allanite-rich veins, consistent with the host mineral at Halleck Creek. At La Paz in Arizona, the company is conducting a comprehensive asset assessment focusing on multi-commodity potential for gold, silver, copper, manganese, and other non-rare earth critical minerals, with reviews covering reinterpretation of historical mapping, re-logging of core and cuttings, reassessment of geochemical datasets, and examination of historical geophysical data. The Searchlight heavy rare earth project in Nevada is at an early stage, located about 30 kilometers east of Mountain Pass, the only producing rare earth mine in the U.S. Historical exploration has yielded up to 6.81% rare earth oxide grades, but the project currently has no mineral resources and has not been drilled.
American Rare Earths expects that through the end of 2026, work at Halleck Creek will focus on completing the current drilling, obtaining assay results, advancing the feasibility study process, and continuing the comprehensive asset development assessment. Planning for 2027 will depend on feasibility study requirements, development sequencing, and results from existing technical projects. At Beaver Creek, La Paz, and Searchlight, work plans from 2026 to 2027 will primarily focus on refining geological understanding, prioritizing targets, and determining the most effective exploration path across the portfolio.
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