Legend Mining Ltd has started a 3D seismic survey over a 3- by 1.5-kilometre area at Mawson prospect within the Rockford Project, Fraser Range, Western Australia.
HiSeis has been contracted to carry out the 3D seismic survey with Barry Bourne from Terra Resources as a consultant.
The data collection phase of the survey will be carried out on site over the coming weeks with the final processed results expected at the end of February 2022.
Deeper diamond drill targets
Legend managing director Mark Wilson said: “This is the first seismic survey Legend has carried out at the Rockford Project.
“This 3D seismic survey is designed to investigate to depths greater than 1,000 metres below the surface.
“Legend’s existing drill data is broadly speaking to 500 metres below surface.
“Our ability to compare this known data with the seismic interpretations will provide a basis for ranking deeper diamond drill targets for next year.”
Complex hard rock geology
HiSeis general manager business development Ron Schop added: “We are pleased to be working with Legend and Terra on the next phase of the development of the Mawson discovery story.
“The survey will record seismic responses across more than 6,000 receiver points.
“This high-resolution data will then be processed by optimised proprietary software to image complex hard rock geology.”
Survey details
The aim of the survey is to define the architecture of the Mawson intrusion in relation to the stratigraphic package to a depth of investigation of a minimum 1,000 metres below surface.
In addition, a more detailed survey on the western side of the survey area has been designed to test for a direct detection signature of nickel-copper-cobalt sulphide accumulations at the Mawson discovery zone, given the shallow nature of mineralisation (<250 metres below surface).
HiSeis has mobilised to the site with data acquisition scheduled to commence in the coming days.
Data acquisition, processing and delivery of the final product are expected to take 16 weeks.
Once the 3D survey results are received, Legend will conduct an intensive process of interrogation, including incorporation of existing geophysical, geological, geochemical and structural datasets with the aim to define and rank new diamond drilling targets for the 2022 field season across the Mawson intrusion.
Future programs
Future programs planned include:
- Seismic data acquisition underway until early December 2021;
- Seismic data processing December 2021-January 2022;
- Final 3D seismic model received - February 2022; and
- Incorporate completed drilling, geophysics, geochemistry, structural and existing 3D modeling into seismic model for diamond drilling target ranking and planning.