en.Wedoany.com Reported - ASX-listed Barkly Rare Earths has commenced civil works to provide access for the planned 10,000-meter drilling program at its Barkly Rare Earths project in Australia's Northern Territory, with completion expected before next week.

The first phase of the drilling program aims to test the expansion potential around the existing 40 million tonne resource (grading 2,100 ppm total rare earth oxides, inferred category).

Barkly Rare Earths Managing Director Craig Wright said this is an exciting step for the company. With site and pad preparation works beginning this week, the company is preparing for the initial 400-hole first-phase drilling program, designed to test the next stage of growth for the existing 40 million tonne inferred mineral resource. Wright noted that Barkly's "soft rock" deposit is particularly compelling due to its combination of significant scale potential, near-surface mineralization, and low levels of harmful radioactive elements, distinguishing it from numerous "hard rock" rare earth projects globally.

The company expects to release an updated mineral resource estimate in the fourth quarter of this year.

Barkly Rare Earths is also advancing exploration at the Buntine project. Following reconnaissance mapping and rock chip sampling, samples have been submitted for assay. The company has identified three distinct zinc/lead/cobalt/copper anomaly zones at the Buntine project.