Great Boulder Resources Ltd (ASX:GBR) has intersected nickel sulphides during a drilling campaign at the Tarmoola project and plans further drilling in a bid to identify the origin of the mineralisation.
There were 76 aircore holes completed at Tarmoola for 2,539 metres, including 32 holes at Sturt Meadows prospect.
This work was designed to test electromagnetic (EM) anomalies in the area, as well as providing information on the prospect’s geochemistry and lithologies.
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Great Boulder managing director Andrew Paterson, who was appointed last month, said: “The nickel we drilled at Tarmoola shows the area has immense potential and now we are setting out to find the origin of that sulphide mineralisation.”
One hole intersected sulphide minerals at a depth of 114 metres within a deep palaeochannel running through the prospect area.
Subsequent petrography identified the sulphide species as vaesite, a nickel mineral that may also contain cobalt.
Potential for nickel sulphide source
As the vaesite fragments are alluvial they may not represent an insitu nickel sulphide body but their presence highlights potential for a nickel sulphide source nearby with further drilling planned.
This drilling later this quarter will test the full depth of the palaeochannel and recover additional material for assaying.
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Great Boulder expects to receive results in August from an airborne electromagnetic (AEM) survey flown over Mt Carlon project east of Laverton, the first field work to be completed on that project since the company acquired it in 2018.
Data will be interpreted in parallel with gravity and magnetic images to plan initial drilling later this year and there are two conceptual targets that require testing.
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At Winchester, the company will follow-up a successful recent aircore drilling program by continuing to test coincident magnetic and EM anomalies.
The drilling defined strong nickel-copper platinum anomalism over a 2.5-kilometre corridor.
Further aircore drilling is also planned on the new adjoining tenement to test the southern extent of the anomaly, which remains open along strike.
Paterson said: “We’re also looking to hone in on the high-tenor nickel sulphides at Winchester and start our first programs at Mt Carlon.”
Reviewing potential opportunities
He added that in conjunction with the ongoing exploration programs, the company was also reviewing a number of potential opportunities with a view to finding synergistic early-stage gold projects.
“We have an extremely active work schedule for the second half of 2019.
“We are pursuing the acquisition of early-stage gold projects to capitalise on the experience of the technical team and the resources we have in-house.”