Western Mines Group Ltd (ASX:WMG) has intersected further high-grade nickel sulphide mineralisation grading up to 2.26% nickel and 0.35% copper at the Mulga Tank Project in Western Australia’s Eastern Goldfields.
Assays from six reverse circulation holes returned broad mineralised intervals in every hole, reinforcing the scale and continuity of the nickel sulphide system and supporting the potential expansion of the project’s current mineral resource.
The strongest result came from Phase 5 hole MTRC078, which returned a cumulative 182 metres at 0.30% nickel, 131 parts per million cobalt and 147 parts per million copper.
This included:
- 4 metres at 0.85% nickel, 374ppm cobalt and 0.21% copper from 293 metres; and
- 1 metre at 2.26% nickel, 0.10% cobalt and 0.35% copper from 295 metres.
Hole MTRC073 also delivered a cumulative 173 metres at 0.31% nickel, 139ppm cobalt and 94ppm copper, including 22 metres at 0.44% nickel from 182 metres.
A higher-grade interval within that zone returned 3 metres at 1.18% nickel from 189 metres, including 1 metre at 2.25% nickel, 708ppm cobalt, 0.21% copper and 0.17 g/t platinum plus palladium.
Assay results for RC holes MTRC070, MTRC072 to MTRC075 and MTRC078.
The remaining holes recorded cumulative mineralised widths ranging from 120 metres to 218 metres, with several intervals ending in mineralisation.
Results expected to support resource upgrade
Five of the holes formed part of the Phase 4 program, which was designed to infill the existing resource and extend mineralisation towards the south.
Western Mines said the results were likely to expand the current mineral resource once incorporated into the next geological model and resource update.
Managing director Dr Caedmon Marriott said the higher-grade zone identified in MTRC073 and MTRC078 could be traced across several hundred metres through the central part of the Mulga Tank Complex.
“We’re looking to target thicker intersections of this approximately 2% nickel zone in the top approximately 100-200 metres of the Complex,” he said.
More than 30 shallow intersections grading above 1% nickel have now been identified across an area of roughly 2 square kilometres within the core of the complex.
Phase 5 drilling and seismic survey ahead
Phase 5 drilling is nearing completion, with the rig switching to diamond drilling for two shallow follow-up holes near MTRC046.
The holes have been pre-collared to around 100 metres and will test for extensions of the semi-massive sulphide mineralisation previously observed in nearby drilling.
An Exploration Incentive Scheme co-funded seismic survey is also scheduled for August to map the three-dimensional architecture of the Mulga Tank Complex and support future targeting.
About Western Mines Group
Western Mines Group is focused on gold and nickel sulphide exploration across a portfolio of projects in Western Australia.
Its flagship Mulga Tank nickel-cobalt-copper-platinum group elements project hosts a mineral resource of 1.968 billion tonnes at 0.27% nickel, containing more than 5.3 million tonnes of nickel.
The company also holds the Jasper Hill gold project and additional exploration assets in the Fraser Range, Mt Narryer and Youanmi regions.