NickelX Ltd (ASX:NKL) has defined nickel-copper-platinum group elements (PGE) targets at its Dalwallinu Project in the West Yilgarn region of Western Australia, where it is seeking Julimar-style nickel-copper-PGE mineralisation.
Dalwallinu covers 86 square kilometres of the entire Barra Barra Greenstone Belt, 150 kilometres northeast of Julimar.
The company has completed and processed data from a detailed close-spaced drone magnetic survey over the Dalwallinu project, which covered the entire Barra Barra mafic-ultramafic intrusive target with 50-metre spaced flight lines.
Priority targets
Recent geochemical and geophysical work programs have identified priority nickel-copper-PGE targets over a strike length of 6 kilometres, with more detailed geochemical, geophysical and drilling work planned.
NickelX will now look to refine and extend selected targets via detailed infill soil sampling programs on 50 x 50-metre grids.
There is reason for the company to be optimistic: previous surface geochemistry sampling recorded some of the highest Western Yilgarn PGE recordings (73.7ppb platinum and palladium with a 5-kilometre +10ppb platinum and palladium north-south strike) and 466ppm nickel and 843ppm copper.
With all information gathered, NickelX will now start ground geophysics (electromagnetics - EM) over targets. It will also begin planning a maiden drill program to test priority EM and geochemistry targets.
The company is in talks with private landowners about the next stage of work programs so that it can start looking for Julimar-style nickel-copper-PGE mineralisation as soon as possible.
“The detailed close-spaced drone magnetic survey combined with historical and current soil samples, points to some very well-defined exploration targets, seeking Julimar-style nickel-copper-PGE mineralisation,” NickelX managing director Matt Gauci said.
“The new magnetic data indicates that the Barra Barra Greenstone Belt intrusive targeted for nickel-copper-PGE mineralisation represents a folded tabular body, either originally a dyke or a sill.
"The exploration team will now progress to a closer spaced soil sampling program over the newly refined targets, prior to a maiden drill program.”
Dalwallinu Nickel Project location.
About drone magnetic survey
SensorEM carried out a drone airborne magnetic survey over the entire Dalwallinu project tenement E70/5398.
The survey was flown on 50-metre spaced lines, oriented east-west at a sensor height of 40 metres above ground.
In all 771 line kilometres of magnetic data was obtained over the project and this represents a far superior product to the previous regional magnetic data for target delineation on the project.
Preliminary interpretation of the new magnetic data indicates that the Barra Barra Greenstone Belt intrusive targeted for nickel-copper-PGE mineralisation represents a folded tabular body, either originally a dyke or a sill.
The body appears to be tightly folded, with a western antiformal structure plunging steeply to the north in the west of the tenement, and a shallowly north plunging synformal structure in the east of the project.
Overlaying the previously reported auger geochemistry data on the new magnetic data highlights an apparent intrusive body horizon just outboard and bordering the main folded magnetic strata, that is anomalous for nickel-copper-PGE.
This may represent a silllike body lying structurally below and folded with the magnetic strata. Four areas are highlighted with anomalous metal values in the auger geochemistry data. These areas represent priority targets for follow-up exploration, as does investigation of the margins of the antiform folded magnetic body in the west of the project.
NickelX is planning to infill auger geochemistry over these four priority areas, with follow-up ground electromagnetic surveys to follow. The results of the infill geochemistry and EM will be targeted with a maiden drilling program once appropriate permitting is in place.