Continuing its strategy of identifying greenfield nickel mineralisation to complement the Carlingup Nickel Project’s resource base of 65,000 tonnes of nickel, NickelSearch Ltd (ASX:NIS) has expanded the extent of mineralisation at the B1 prospect after intersecting nickel sulphides in drilling.
A diamond drilled hole offered visual indicators of some 40 metres of disseminated nickel sulphide at B1, with signs the sulphide is accumulating from 285 metres of depth, however, formal assays are still pending.
The company also recently struck nickel in all seven reverse circulation (RC) holes previously drilled over 1,108 metres. Best assays included 7 metres at 0.73% nickel from 109 metres of depth, with a higher-grade component of 3 metres at 1.05% nickel from 109 metres.
Low volumes, high tenor
“The assay results from the RC drilling show we have successfully expanded the extent of the nickel mineralisation at B1,” NickelSearch managing director Nicole Duncan said.
“We have completed the diamond drilling and, from the visuals, we can report that the hole has intersected 40 metres of predominantly disseminated nickel sulphides, giving us further understanding of the mineralisation.
“So far, we have observed a thick interval of ultramafic host rock with signs of the sulphide accumulating in the base of the sequence in the diamond hole, plus the mineralised horizon appears to stretch for some distance.
“The sulphide volumes in the ultramafic at B1 are low but the mineralisation is high tenor.”
Other assays of note from previous B1 RC drilling included:
- 7 metres at 0.67% nickel from 52 metres, including 3 metres at 0.97% from 52 metres; and
- 7 metres at 0.51% from 68 metres, including 3 metres at 0.60% from 68 metres.
The NIS exploration team will now review historical surface electromagnetic survey coverage around B1 and assess the opportunity to complete more ultrafine soil sampling over the ultramafic horizon at the prospect to test for the nickel mineralisation’s origin and orientation.