Orion Minerals Ltd (ASX:ORN) (JSE:ORN) has received encouraging diamond drilling results from its joint venture with IGO Ltd (ASX:IGO) at the Fraser Range Belt in WA.
Drilling completed at the North West Passage, Hook 1 and 2 and Pike prospects towards the end of 2019 tested several moving-loop electromagnetic (MLEM) conductors, anomalous basement geochemical anomalies and magnetic features on magmatic nickel-copper targets, as well as a Volcanogenic Massive Sulphide (VMS) copper-zinc target at Pike.
Importantly, all five diamond holes completed at the North West Passage and Pike nickel-copper prospects intersected mafic-ultramafic intrusive bodies.
Injected sulphide veins characteristic of magmatic sulphide nickel-copper systems were observed in drill core from the North West Passage.
Semi massive pyrite-pyrrhotite vein from 188.3 metres to 188.8 metres in drill-hole 19AFDD1001 at North West Passage. The yellow circle indicates a chalcopyrite grain.
Orion considers the presence of anastomosing sulphide veins, sulphide-bearing graphite-rich horizons and metacarbonates as intersected in the host rocks to the mafic-ultramafic bodies to be the ideal setting for the discovery of magmatic massive nickel-copper sulphide deposits.
Orion managing director and CEO Errol Smart said: "We are very encouraged by the progress being made by IGO in their ongoing exploration of our Fraser Range joint venture tenements in WA.
“The results from the drilling completed towards the end of last year provide further strong indications that we are in the right place to discover a large magmatic nickel-copper sulphide system – with all five diamond holes intersecting mafic-ultramafic intrusive bodies.
Prospects, completed and planned drill-holes on tenement E28/2367
“We have long held the view that the Fraser Range would yield further significant discoveries outside of the Nova-Bollinger deposit – a belief that first led us to secure these tenements several years ago.
“With exploration attention once again focusing on the belt following the recently reported massive sulphide discovery by Legend Mining, just 16km from our Hook 1 prospect, we are looking forward to the next phase of drilling planned by IGO this field season.”
Proposed drilling
IGO plans to drill a further 2,560 metres in six holes, including extending hole 19AFDD1008 to test a strong off-hole conductor detected below the current end-of-hole depth.
Holes are also planned to test further EM targets at the North West Passage, Hook, Pike Eye and Pike.
At Garfish, a gravity anomaly will be drilled to test for a mafic – ultramafic intrusive