Cyclone Metals Ltd (ASX:CLE) has closed the books on a survey data program over its Nickol River Gold Project area in the Pilbara — a region also known as Australia’s engine room.
Following the program’s conclusion, Cyclone has appointed Southern Geoscience Consultants (SGC) to deliver the final data interpretation and draw up a drill target report for the gold exploration tenements.
Already, early findings from the sub-audio magnetics (SAM) survey have pinpointed several areas of interest at Nickol River, but these prospects require test pits to better understand their geology.
A program of work has been submitted for test pits on all tenements in the Nickol River Project area, looking at alluvial/eluvial gold and bedrock structures.
“Exciting time” for Cyclone and Nickol River
Commenting on the SAM survey, Cyclone Metals director Will Scott said: “The SAM survey has given Cyclone a wealth of preliminary information to expand exploration on our recently acquired leases in the Nickol River area …
‘ … I am confident the test pit information will give us the ability to define structures within the Nickol River Project, that may be host to gold mineralisation.
“Additional gold-bearing paleochannels, that have produced historical gold, will also be investigated with the test pits.
“Once final interpretation reports are finalised from SGC, a program of work for drilling will be submitted.
“It is an exciting time for Cyclone and its new investment.”
What lies ahead?
With a crucial survey now under its belt, Cyclone is a step closer to unlocking the precious metal potential within the Nickol River property.
Gap Geophysics Australia, which conducted the SAM survey, has now passed the baton to SGC to process and interpret the findings.
And late this year or early next, further information from the SAM survey will come to hand.
SGC will present this key data, which will pave the way for future exploration and drilling programs at the Nickol River properties.
In the meantime, the raw data from Gap Geophysics’ SAM program has identified areas that show highly prospective gold targets.
These will go under the microscope as soon as a bulldozer is on-site and the program of work on all the mining leases is approved by the WA Department of Mines Industry Resources and Safety.
The program will include pits in SAM-identified areas to assess the coarse gold content, as well as assay programs over the soil and quartz reefs in the pits to help determine the direction and dip of the quartz reef systems.
In conjunction with the pit program and the SAM data interpretation, Cyclone is confident a highly targeted drilling program can be designed to identify the potential of the project.
Nickol River Project area
Cyclone’s Nickol River Project is a gold exploration asset within the Karratha Terrane on the north side of the Sholl Shear Zone, near the margin of the Karratha Granodiorite.
The immediate area surrounding and including Cyclone’s tenements has been explored for gold since 1889.
Most recently, tenement M47/1527, which is partly surrounded by Nickol River tenements M47/127 and M47/401, has been drilled by a series of owners.
It has also been mined for alluvial gold by its present owner, fellow ASX-lister Artemis Resources Ltd.
Speaking to the foundational tenement acquisition in August, Cyclone non-executive chairman Terry Donnelly said: "This is a small but significant acquisition in a very desirable location for gold.
“We will commence work on the ground immediately.”