St George Mining Ltd (ASX:SGQ) has identified a new zone of nickel sulphide mineralisation at its Alexander nickel-copper joint venture project near Leonora in Western Australia, where drilling is continuing at six prospects including Fairbridge.
The project manager has also identified two off-hole electromagnetic (EM) conductors using downhole electromagnetic (DHEM) surveys undertaken at West End prospect at the project in the north Eastern Goldfields.
READ: St George Mining identifies nickel-copper sulphide targets at Fairbridge Prospect
The new zone of mineralisation was discovered with three wide-spaced drilled holes into a previously-undrilled 500-metre strike between the Stricklands and Investigators prospects on the underexplored Cathedrals Belt.
The holes, considered part of Investigators prospect, encountered thick intersections of ultramafic and nickel sulphides, with DHEM surveys now aiming to identify conductive targets around the holes.
The first hole had 10 metres of disseminated nickel sulphides in ultramafic from 66-metres downhole, the second 3 metres of disseminated nickel sulphides in ultramafic from 52-metres downhole and the third 5 metres of disseminated nickel sulphides in ultramafic from 59-metres downhole.
READ: St George Mining begins drilling for nickel-copper at Mt Alexander in WA
Stricklands and Investigators, along with the Cathedrals prospect, are found at exploration licence area E29/638 which is held in a 75% JV with Western Areas Ltd (ASX:WSA) (FRA:FX9) (OTCMKTS:WNARF).
The three prospects on Cathedrals Belt, held in the JV, were previously described as having ‘meaningful connectivity’ by Bell Potter Securities.
St George hopes to establish a nickel development on Cathedrals Belt and Western Areas is holding onto its 25% stake until a decision to mine.
WA-based St George is funding exploration until the investment decision and has four other exploration licences (E29/548, E29/962, E29/954 and E29/972) at the project which is 120 kilometres south-southwest of Agnew-Wiluna Belt.
READ: St George Mining looks to new nickel-copper sulphide targets to expand large Mt Alexander footprint
St George executive chairman John Prineas praised the new zone find, noting: “Extensional drilling between Investigators and Stricklands has … delivered success with a new zone of nickel sulphide mineralisation discovered in this previously-undrilled 500-metre east-west strike of the Cathedrals Belt.
“The drill program at Mt Alexander continues to deliver exciting results and further hits of thick nickel sulphide mineralisation.
“Initial drill results at Fairbridge fit very well with our geological model for the Cathedrals Belt, which interprets the ultramafic unit dipping to the north with potential for further mineralisation down-plunge.
“This is encouraging for the remaining nickel sulphide drill targets at Fairbridge – particularly the large chargeable anomalies recently identified down plunge of the known mineralisation at the Cathedrals Belt.”
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St George reported two drill holes had been completed at new prospect Fairbridge, finding thick intersections of ultramafic and nickel sulphides.
The company believes its early results add support to the potential for there to be highly-chargeable anomalies at Fairbridge, representing nickel sulphide mineralisation.
Drilling of a large anomaly to the north of one of the holes is expected to start this week.
At West End, a future drill program will be planned to test DHEM conductors and extend the drill hole line westwards along Cathedrals Belt to Ida Fault.
The company is expecting a series of assays results from its latest drilling program, as it drills another 17 holes at Fairbridge, Cathedrals North and West, Sultans, Stricklands North and Wills More.