St George Mining Ltd (ASX:SGQ) has turned the soil on an exciting seismic target at its Mt Alexander nickel-copper sulphide project in Western Australia’s north-eastern goldfields.
The explorer’s first seismic hole was completed to 1,004 metres down-hole, hitting the S1 target along the way.
Now, St George is reviewing the pioneer hole’s drill data, while another hole kicks off to test seismic target S2.
More seismic surveys are planned off the encouraging results, particularly across the Stricklands and Cathedrals prospects, where shallow, high-grade nickel-copper sulphide discoveries remain open at depth.
At Stricklands, a metallurgical program is also in the works to support a starter mine proposal.
St George is in talks to set up a pilot plant at the prospect, while further resource drilling is planned to test two strong electromagnetic (EM) conductors to the deposit’s northwest.
Targeting the underexplored, deeper regions at Mt Alexander
Speaking to the findings at Mt Alexander, St George Mining executive chair John Prineas said: “Our first drill hole to test a seismic target has intersected the Cathedrals Belt fault structure, as modelled by the seismic data and also confirmed the presence of mafic rocks along the structure at depth.
“These deep-reaching structures are the control on mineralisation and our increased understanding of their orientation and location will be of great help with targeting the highly prospective but underexplored deeper areas of the mineralised intrusive system.
“Confirmation by MAD206 of the ability of the seismic survey to successfully and accurately map the framework of intersecting faults is encouraging for the ongoing exploration at Mt Alexander and will make our future programs more effective.
“Overall, we are strongly encouraged by these results and are assessing the completion of additional seismic lines over key exploration areas, including the Stricklands deposit, where the seismic will assist to identify any continuation at depth of the high-grade shallow deposit.”
Work advances at Stricklands
St George is also keenly focused on Mt Alexander’s Stricklands target, where further resource and exploration drilling is planned.
Prineas continued: “We have already identified two strong EM conductors outside the footprint of the Stricklands deposit that could materially increase the resource inventory, suggesting that there is more mineralisation at Stricklands that has not been detected by EM surveys to date.
“The unique geology at Mt Alexander means that there is no precedent for exploration here. But the five high-grade discoveries we have already made – including at Stricklands – drive our determination to press on to discover more nickel, copper and platinum group metals across what is a highly prospective and still underexplored project area."
Stricklands is also at the heart of a metallurgical test-work campaign with XPS in Canada, which will devise a flowsheet for the production of separate nickel and copper concentrates.
A pilot plant program, which would optimise the flowsheet processing in a commercial operation, could take place using the XPS mini-pilot plant.
“I am pleased that the metallurgical program for Stricklands is nearing completion with a flowsheet to be provided for the potential commercial production of separate high-grade nickel and copper concentrates,” Prineas explained.
“We have already received preliminary approaches to secure the offtake from any potential mining operation at Stricklands, and will look at accelerating development studies with a pilot plant campaign through the XPS Mini Pilot Plant.
“We look forward to reporting on these exciting work programs in due course.”