St George Mining Ltd (ASX:SGQ) is buoyed by further positive exploration results from the flagship Mt Alexander Project in the north-eastern Goldfields of Western Australia.
The results have been returned from drilling of strong electromagnetic (EM) conductors along the Cathedrals Belt.
West End prospect has been particularly promising with a 30-metre thick mafic-ultramafic unit intersected from 440.5 metres downhole in MAD192, supporting the potential for the presence of nickel-copper sulphide deposits.
Drilling escalated
The encouraging results have prompted St George to escalate drilling to a 24/7 basis with a second drill crew arriving at site last week.
Executive chairman John Prineas said: “Drilling continues to intersect the large intrusive mineral system at the Cathedrals Belt, which we know hosts abundant high-grade nickel-copper sulphides at other points along the strike of the belt.
“The mineral system remains open to the west where we are currently drilling to test new and very strong conductors.
“Significantly, the system is also unconstrained at depth towards the north-northwest down-dip of the system.
“The results in MAD192 have not altered the interpretation of the presence in this area of very strong EM conductors with the characteristics of massive sulphides.
“We are confident that ongoing drilling has outstanding potential to deliver another significant discovery of massive nickel-copper sulphides.”
Fertile target horizon
The 30-metre interval in MAD192 includes a 6-metre thick ultramafic with disseminated nickel-copper sulphides from 465.5 metres downhole.
These types of intrusive rocks are known to host massive sulphide deposits in other parts of the Cathedrals Belt with the 6-metre interval a potential indicator of massive sulphides nearby.
Potential new discovery
Drill hole MAD192 was completed to a downhole depth of 500 metres to test a plate modelled with conductivity of 49,000 Siemens – being the modelled plate for one of two very strong conductors identified from the DHEM survey in MAD184.
These new conductors are within the West End prospect, which covers the underexplored western extension of the Cathedrals Belt and is more than 800 metres to the west of previously intersected massive sulphides on the Cathedrals Belt.
The discovery of massive sulphides at this location would represent a new discovery that could extend the strike of mineralisation across the Cathedrals Belt to more than 6.3 kilometres.
Plan view of the western part of the Cathedrals Belt (against TMI RTP 1VD) showing the new EM conductors at the West End Prospect as well as massive nickel-copper sulphides already discovered.
DHEM work
MAD193 is being drilled to a planned depth of 475 metres with the drill hole designed to test the strong 16,200 Siemens conductor identified from the DHEM survey in MAD184.
The survey crew is expected at site by this weekend to complete DHEM surveys in MAD192 and MAD193.
A DHEM survey will also be completed in MAD185 which will be re-opened to allow survey beyond the blockage in the hole.
These powerful EM conductors have an electrical signature consistent with massive sulphides and offer an opportunity to discover new nickel-copper sulphide deposits in the underexplored western extension of the Cathedrals Belt.