Caspin Resources Ltd (ASX:CPN has begun its maiden drill program at the Yarawindah Brook Nickel-Copper-Platinum Group Elements (PGE) Project in Western Australia.
The company’s exploration focus to date at the project has been to identify high-value nickel, copper and PGE mineralisation hosted by massive sulphide deposits, and it has successfully employed electromagnetic techniques and developed several new targets.
In December 2020, Caspin identified the highly prospective XC-29 anomaly, which consists of three discrete zones over a strike of 1.3 kilometres.
This anomaly is coincident with interpreted mafic and ultramafic rocks which are typical host rocks for orthomagmatic nickel-copper-PGE mineralisation.
The diamond drilling program will consist of around 1,000 metres focusing on XC-29 anomaly, before moving to the newly recognised PGE target at Yarabrook Hill Prospect.
PGE target drilling
Caspin has also recently considered the potential for low-sulphide style, PGE-rich mineralisation, as reported by Chalice Mining Ltd (ASX:CHN) (OTCQB:CGMLF) at their Julimar Project, 40 kilometres south of Yarawindah Brook.
This style of mineralisation typically occurs as minor disseminated sulphide, which is unlikely to be detected with electromagnetic techniques.
A small number of deeper drilling campaigns at Yarabrook Hill were focused on nickel and copper sulphide mineralisation but were rarely assayed for PGEs despite these elements all commonly occurring together.
The company recently identified a PGE target at Yarabrook Hill prospect that will also be drilled to test beneath a 2-kilometre strike of PGE surface mineralisation.
Caspin plans to drill two holes beneath stronger zones of oxide mineralisation that may overlie a higher-grade sulphide source, as palladium is relatively immobile in the weathering zone.