Carnavale Resources Ltd (ASX:CAV) continues to turn the soil on a series of nickel opportunities in WA’s most prolific mineralised regions.
At the Grey Dam Nickel Sulphide Project near Kalgoorlie, the base and precious metal explorer is encouraged by Ardea Resources Ltd (ASX:ARL)’s new nickel sulphide discovery along strike into its project.
Recently, a soil sampling campaign identified five copper/nickel-in-soil anomalies along 10 kilometres of Grey Dam’s prospective ultramafic/mafic sequence.
Carnavale plans to kick off a ground electromagnetic (EM) survey at Grey Dam in the March quarter, targeting nickel sulphide conductors, and any priority EM conductors will be drill tested down the track.
Meanwhile, at the Barracuda platinum group element (PGE)-nickel-copper play near Mount Magnet, CAV has completed a detailed heli-borne versatile time-domain EM survey, the results of which hint at conductive cover and paleochannels across the property.
The story so far
Speaking to the progress at both nickel prospects to date, Carnavale CEO Humphrey Hale said: “The five copper and nickel anomalies at Grey Dam are encouraging and provide an initial focus for the planned EM surveys along this prospective sequence.
“This northern mafic/ultramafic sequence has never been systematically explored within the project areas due to the transported cover.
“The UFF soils have been able to look through the transported cover and the passive seismic data aims to delineate the thickness of cover prior and help in planning EM survey configuration.
“Importantly, the recent nickel sulphide discovery at Emu Lake, by Ardea, confirms the ultramafic/mafic sequence CAV is targeting is prospective for Kambalda-style copper-nickel sulphide mineralisation.”
Grey Dam
CAV has commenced a passive seismic survey at Grey Dam to determine the depth of cover associated with the five nickel/copper soil anomalies identified by the earlier UFF soil sampling program.
The survey will be followed up by a ground EM survey aiming to delineate direct drilling targets. The mafic/ultramafic sequence at Grey Dam is immediately along strike and is the same geological sequence that hosts the new Kambalda-style, nickel sulphide Emu Lake discovery recently reported by Ardea.
Ultimately, the new Emu Lake discovery demonstrates the nickel sulphide fertility of the mafic/ultramafic sequence.
Carnavale’s ongoing survey comprises twelve passive seismic traverses across the interpreted soil anomalies to determine the depth of transported cover.
Based on the findings, a ground-based EM geophysical survey will be undertaken to delineate conductive nickel sulphide targets beneath the transported cover.
In the meantime, national scientific body CSIRO continues to optimise the information produced by the UFF soil programs.
Data analysis and interpretation continues and is expected to refine and improve the identification of anomalies and further information on Grey Dam’s underlying geology.
Barracuda
Recently, CAV commissioned Resource Potentials to assist with preliminary processing, imaging, interpretation and targeting of an airborne electromagnetic survey at the Barracuda asset.
The survey was flown and operated by UTS Geophysics in late 2021 over the entirety of Barracuda to explore for electrically conductive nickel sulphide mineralisation.
In addition, an anomaly picking exercise was completed over the survey area to identify anomalous EM decay responses.
Anomalous responses observed in the data are interpreted to be related to conductive cover and paleochannels, and no significant anomalies have yet been identified that are interpreted to be related to bedrock conductors.