ARAFURA Resources (ARU) has received assay results from its Nolans rare earth project in the Northern Territory, revealing its new central zone of mineralisation could have a positive effect on its resources.

According to the company, the drill assays are considerably and consistently higher than the average of the current resource. The company claims the central zone is buried under shallow soil and opens up substantial country to exploration for new rare earth mineral deposits.

In April, Arafura reported that a cluster of seven resource definition drill holes had intersected a major discovery of strong phosphate-rare earths mineralisation between the north and south resource zones.

ARU has received geochemical assays from this new zone and they confirm substantial intervals of rare earths-phosphate-uranium mineralisation, called the Central Zone.

Final assays for the remainder of the 2007-08 drill program are expected over the next six to eight weeks. Shares in the company ended at 79c on Friday.