Pioneer Resources (ASX:PIO) has now completed a gravity survey at the Fairwater Nickel Project in the Albany-Fraser Orogen in south east Western Australia.
Fairwater is located in interpreted Proterozoic-aged rocks between 100 and 130 kilometres south west of Independence Group NL (ASX:IGO) Nova and Bollinger nickel deposits.
The gravity survey has successfully located zones of increasing rock density, which may be related to the feeder zones (or chonoliths) for the interpreted Fairwater mafic-ultramafic conduit sill-dyke system.
A chonolith is considered the most prospective location for nickel sulphide mineralisation trap sites and accumulations.
Importantly - the company has identified three gravity peaks, representing targets for future work.
David Crook, managing director, said that while geophysical processing is continuing, the company is highly encouraged by the geological context provided by the amalgamated interpretations of gravity, magnetics, soil geochemistry and drilling results to date.
"Geoscientific observations made at Fairwater continue to be consistent with a ‘chonolith’ nickel sulphide environment, and as modelling continues, plans to test the three priority targets, now refined by the gravity survey, by reverse circulation drilling followed by high-power down-hole EM surveys, will be firmed up for the June quarter 2016."
Gravity peak details
The G1 peak is located towards the centre of the Fairwater Intrusion, and:
- Coincides with the principle Fairwater nickel-chromium soil geochemistry anomaly;
- Coincides with peak copper-platinum-palladium (nickel pathfinder) soil geochemistry responses; and
- Litho-geochemistry from diamond drill holes FWDD001-003 provided a general nickel mineralisation vector direction towards the centre of the Fairwater Intrusion, and the G1 gravity feature.
The G2 peak is located towards the northern end of the Fairwater Intrusion.
The company said that when observations are considered along with the geological interpretation from the drilling programs, the G1 and G2 peaks may represent components of the intrusive core, that is flanked by the flatter-lying sills intersected in aircore drilling.
The G3 peak is located towards the southern end of the Fairwater Intrusion adjacent to a magnetic high, and possibly offset by faulting from the ultramafic unit(s) hosting the G1 and G2 anomalies.
Pioneer said that information suggests a westerly dip to the eastern-most ultramafic sill, which is consistent with that seen in aircore and diamond drilling from the 2015 programs.
Next steps for Fairwater
The geological model that is being developed from the gravity survey will be further refined using aeromagnetic data and direct geological information from the drill programs.
The drill program to test the resulting targets will then be finalised, initially utilising reverse circulation drilling to provide a platform for high power down-hole EM surveys.
This is expected to provide an effective test to a depth of 600 metres below surface.
Pioneer added that additional pre-collared diamond core drilling may follow if warranted, directly targeting EM conductors that may include nickel sulphide mineralisation.
The company holds regulatory approval to undertake much of this work, scheduled for the first half of 2016.
Pending newsflow from Acra gold project
Pioneer still have about 950 samples from the Kalpini South regional aircore program in the laboratory - waiting for analysis.
These should be out within the fortnight.
These drill holes were designed to locate the next gold targets.
Kalpini is part of the company's wholly-owned Acra Gold Project, located 60 kilometres northeast of Kalgoorlie in Western Australia.
Proactive Investors is a global leader reporting financial news, media, research and hosts events for listed emerging growth companies and investors across four continents.