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Ventnor Resources brings in diamond drill to test copper-nickel anomalies

Published: 03:00 17 Jan 2017 GMT

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The Fire Dragon prospect is showing similarities to Nova-Bollinger.

Ventnor Resources (ASX:VRX) has planned a follow up diamond drilling program at the Fire Dragon prospect within the Biranup project area, 370 kilometres north-east of Kalgoorlie in Western Australia.

The program follows a two-hole drill program in late 2016, which was following up on two targets generated from the previous moving loop electromagnetic (MLEM) survey.

A deeper diamond drill hole has been planned for drilling later this month.

The Biranup project is proximal to the Tropicana gold mine owned by AngloGold Ashanti and Independence Group.

Bruce Maluish, managing director, commented: “The reverse circulation holes have intersected the copper sulphide and chalcopyrite with multi-element assays confirming the prospectivity for magmatic style mineralisation that warrants deeper drilling.”


Background

Ventnor is focused on three projects in Western Australia:

- Biranup Project;
- Warrawanda nickel project; and
- Thaduna / Green Dragon Project (Sandfire earning 100%).

Ventnor was granted its flagship Biranup Project in 2016, which is prospective for gold and base metals.

Recent exploration at Biranup has focused on the Fire Dragon and Silver Dragon prospects.

Fire Dragon is a priority exploration target identified in a large airborne electromagnetic survey.

Silver Dragon is a copper-nickel target generated from magnetic data and geochemical assays.

The Warrawanda nickel project is located 40 kilometres south of Newman in Western Australia.


Why Fire Dragon could host a deposit

Analysis completed on selected chips from the recently completed drill holes at Fire Dragon signalled gabbronorite rocks.

It has been well documented that the protolith of the magmatic intrusive body that gave rise to the famous Nova-Bollinger nickel copper deposit was a gabbronorite. 
Furthermore, the thin section analysis indicates that the host rocks at Fire Dragon are of the right type and origin to generate a magmatic base metals deposit.


Upcoming Fire Dragon work program

The company will mobilise a multi-purpose reverse circulation and diamond drill to site later this month.

This rig will drill a reverse circulation pre-collar with a diamond tail to drill deeper down the conductor and to generate drill core.

This will allow for a much better understanding of the host rocks in the Fire Dragon area and to intersect the strongest conductive area, testing for nickel and copper sulphides.

In addition to this, a down-hole electromagnetic survey will be undertaken

Assays for this program are expected towards the end of the March quarter.