DeSoto Resources (ASX:DES) said it will consider joint venture and other divestment options to realise value for its Northern Territory projects after recent drilling results at the Spectrum project did not provide "enough encouragement," according to a Tuesday Australian bourse filing.

"Drilling intercepted some significant widths of sulphide zones, however, assay results only returned limited levels of anomalism in gold, copper, zinc and total rare earth oxides," said Managing Director Chris Swallow.

The results were up to 6.42 metres at 1.45% total rare earth oxides from 399 metres and 2.74 metres at 0.34 parts per million gold from 400 metres.

The company said it will now focus all of its exploration activities on its Siguiri Basin projects located in Guinea.

The company's shares fell 7% in recent Tuesday trade.