Galileo Mining Ltd (ASX:GAL) has accelerated exploration activities over the September quarter, completing a diamond drilling campaign, an RC drilling campaign and electromagnetic surveys at its Fraser Range Prospects.
Managing director Brad Underwood said: “Galileo holds some exceptional tenements in the Fraser Range nickel belt and management is focused on making a discovery in the region through an active exploration schedule.
“Our ground has had no previous nickel exploration which provides Galileo with a first-mover advantage on a virgin greenfields property in a new nickel belt.”
Diamond drilling
The diamond drilling campaign at the Lantern Prospect was designed to test deeper nickel prospective targets beneath shallow cover.
Drilling has uncovered disseminated and blebby sulphide mineralisation with assays pending.
Underwood said: “Assays from our diamond drilling exploration, which are expected shortly, will assist us in planning future exploration.
“Drilling results to date confirm we have been able to successfully uncover sulphides in the correct host rocks.
“Our task is to locate the source of these sulphides within the same rocks which we believe have the potential to contain economic quantities of nickel-copper.”
RC drilling
The RC drilling campaign tested mineralisation at Lantern South prospect, investigated the stratigraphy at Lantern East prospect and established diamond drilling pre-collars.
Assay results have expanded the nickel-copper footprint at Lantern South with 41 metres at 0.19% nickel and 0.14% copper from 55 metres (LARC0012), including:
- 10 metres at 0.26% nickel and 0.23% copper from 78 metres; and
- Anomalous gold (max 88 parts per billion), platinum (75 parts per billion) and palladium (max 88 parts per billion) associated with nickel and copper interval.
RC drill hole LARC007 and diamond drill hole LARC008D targeted the Lantern East prospect where a conductive response was observed in Moving Loop and Fixed Loop surface EM surveys.
Lantern South Prospect plan view of RC and Diamond Drilling showing sulphide target zone.
Lantern East EM conductors
Post quarter-end, new EM conductors at Lantern East were announced, which have been modelled based on new surveys carried out at the prospect.
Modelling of the new EM data has created two large and highly conductive models for drill testing at relatively shallow depths starting from 140 metres below surface.
Three new surveys were undertaken to complement the two existing EM data sets at the prospect and a total of five surface EM data sets have each confirmed the EM response on surface at the margin of a major gabbronorite intrusion.
Regional EM surveying
Galileo Mining is now completing an extensive program of EM surveying covering around 46 square kilometres of tenure within the Fraser Range Nickel Project.
The surveys are designed to cover prospective intrusions, identified by aircore drilling and magnetic interpretation, located along strike from the Lantern area.
These new EM surveys will focus on zones both north and south of the Lantern prospects and will dramatically expand the footprint of exploration.
Norseman Project plans
The Norseman Cobalt Project mine lease and miscellaneous licence applications were granted over the period and the company expects these project permit approvals will be a considerable value-add to the existing JORC-compliant resource base at Norseman in the event that cobalt prices recover sufficiently.
It is anticipated that if cobalt prices improve in the future then the Norseman Cobalt Project may again become a significant focus of the company’s exploration and development program.
Soil sampling and mapping at the Woodcutters komatiite nickel targets and VMS copper-gold position has been planned and is scheduled to occur over the coming quarter.
An additional soil sampling program targeting gold and platinum group elements has also been planned over the eastern and northern sections of the Mission Sill.
New EM models at the Lantern East Prospect with initial drill holes (LARC007 and LARC008D) and proposed RC drill holes over EM background.
Fully funded for exploration
Galileo is well funded to continue exploration with approximately $7.7 million in cash as of September 30, 2020.
This puts the company in a secure position to undertake all its planned exploration programs. Estimated expenditure for the upcoming December 2020 Quarter is around $1.0 million.