Resource Mining Corporation Ltd (ASX:RMI) has confirmed a 42.1 million tonnes nickel sulphide resource containing 168,400 tonnes of nickel and 6,700 tonnes of cobalt from a review and re-estimation of the Ruossakero Project in Finland.
The mineral resource estimate (MRE) is within two distinct serpentinite bodies, each hosting four separate nickel mineralised zones, with a range in length of 1,750 metres and widths of between 8 and 50 metres, and an average thickness of 10 metres.
These extensive areas of komatiitic geology remain underexplored within the permit area and a recent desktop review highlighted intervals of 0.89% nickel and 3.15% copper that are yet to be fully tested.
The large Ruossakero reserve has a significant swathe of untested ultramafic geology present and an active review of geophysical data is in progress to define further areas of significant nickel mineralisation.
Significant resource-strong foundation
RMI CEO Andrew Nesbitt said: “We are extremely pleased with this outcome, as it represents a significant resource in its own right and provides a strong foundation on which to grow something larger.
“Its location within Finland is ideal, given the nation is Europe’s largest producer of nickel and is positioning itself as a key provider to the European battery metals supply chain.
“With RMI only recently acquiring the Finnish assets, this resource not only represents deep value for shareholders but also offers significant potential in a brownfield setting within a progressive jurisdiction."
Ruossakero reserve geological map with mineral occurrences
MRE summary
The review and re-estimation have highlighted the prospectivity of Ruossakero with potential along strike and down dip.
The MRE is based on an assessment of the confidence achieved in defining geological and grade continuity using the available drilling density, the support for the geological model and the absence of QAQC.
This estimation process used was ordinary kriging and the data used for analysis and grade estimation was two-metre composites.
A recent field survey has identified the widespread presence of sulphides within the Archaean-aged host rocks.
Mineral resource reported by nickel % cut-off grade
Ruossakero potential
The Ruossakero reserve contains the defined Ruossakero nickel sulphide deposit, which is hosted by Archean-aged komatiitic geology.
The form of mineralisation present is considered to be of the ‘contact-type’ of nickel-copper-cobalt emplacement related to the komatiites flowing across sulphur-enriched sediments or volcanics.
There are extensive areas of komatiitic geology that have been partially and unexplored within the reserve, with other occurrences within the partially explored areas and highlighted by a desktop review of available information.
About RMI
RMI is exploring battery minerals, namely nickel and lithium at its projects in Tanzania and Finland.
The company has four projects in Tanzania focusing on nickel occurrences in sulphides within known and prolific mafic and ultramafic intrusions.
In Finland, RMI has three projects - two are focusing on the exploration of lithium and the remaining project is targeting nickel.