NickelSearch Ltd (ASX:NIS) has wasted no time in getting on the ground at Carlingup Nickel Sulphide Project in Western Australia since listing on Monday with a maiden drilling program kicking off today.
The initial focus of the reverse circulation (RC) program at the project east of Ravensthorpe is on the RAV8 deposit, where 11 holes for around 1,900 metres are planned in an overall program of about 4,000 metres.
Primary focus on RAV8
RAV8 is the most advanced project within the company’s portfolio and has historically produced 16,100 tonnes of nickel at 3.45% from four principal shoots.
The massive sulphide shoots, mined out to a depth of around 300 metres, are surrounded and overlain by a large, disseminated nickel halo.
This largely unmined mineralised halo with a JORC 2012 inferred mineral resource of 13.2 million tonnes at 0.60% nickel for 75,100 tonnes is the primary focus for the current drill plan.
NickelSearch’s managing director Craig Moulton said: "We are pleased that the drilling program at the Carlingup Nickel Project has started so soon after listing on Monday.
"I am confident that this maiden drill program commencing at the RAV8 deposit will confirm and extend the known nickel sulphide system.”
Carlingup Nickel Sulphide Project location map.
Program aims
There are a number of aims of the maiden program including resource and extension drilling targeting near-surface potential that focus on higher-grade areas with the objective of achieving a higher JORC classification within any future pit cutback.
This includes, for example, west of Shoot 1 and north of Shoot 3 at shallow depths.
Drilling will also test new areas outside the existing resource to the east and downdip of current nickel sulphide mineralisation, for example, south of Shoot 1 at depth.
It will also assess exploration potential with no historical production and very little drilling information, for example, the potential for a new shoot east of Shoot 4.
In addition to providing assays for nickel, cobalt, copper and PGEs (platinum group elements), the drilling will also provide material for preliminary bioleaching metallurgical test-work.
As part of NickelSearch’s efforts to upgrade the JORC resource classification, a series of historical diamond holes with insufficient sampling have been selected and recovered that will be resampled to provide a more comprehensive assay database including QAQC.