Locksley Resources (ASX: LKY) is advancing its Mojave project, located near the Mountain Pass mine, the only producing rare earth mine in the US. The company aims to capitalize on increasing US government demand for domestically sourced critical minerals and rare earth elements (REE). Locksley is drawing confidence from Dateline Resources’ (ASX: DTR) Colosseum project’s federal endorsement, seeing similar strategic value and potential in Mojave. Locksley intends to leverage Dateline’s precedent to secure regulatory alignment and market support.
The company believes the US government’s push to increase domestic mineral production positions it favorably to receive support for Mojave’s development. Locksley has already engaged with US federal authorities to qualify under the standing executive order. Concurrently, the company is planning drilling operations to expand Mojave’s known antimony and rare earths mineralization, and has formally submitted a drilling permit application to the US Bureau of Land Management (BLM). The BLM has confirmed it will undertake the initial environmental assessment requirements, potentially expediting the approval process.
Locksley is planning surface and subsurface exploration, targeting known high-grade antimony and REE zones. Surface mapping has identified an 860m mineralized horizon, with samples exceeding 17% antimony, indicating a high-grade mineralized system. Mojave also shows significant REE potential, with rock chip assays at the El Campo prospect yielding up to 12.1% total rare earth oxide and 3.19% high-value neodymium-praseodymium.
