Azure Minerals Ltd (ASX:AZS) has identified a 4-kilometre-long nickel corridor at the Andover Project in Western Australia via rock chip sampling and diamond drilling, with the possibility of a further 6 kilometres of corridor to the east yet to be fully explored.
The nickel corridor has been dubbed the Southern Mineralised Corridor (SMC), and contains visually distinctive intrusive rock formations which host all nickel-copper-cobalt sulphide mineralisation discovered to date, including:
- Andover: The main Andover deposit holds a JORC nickel-copper-cobalt mineral resource of 75,000 tonnes of contained metal;
- Ridgeline: The Ridgeline mineral resource is undergoing drill-out activities, having intersected nickel-rich massive sulphides including 4.5 metres at 3.95% nickel, 0.80% copper and 0.16% cobalt, and 4.9 metres at 3.50% nickel, 1.34% copper and 0.17% cobalt;
- Seaview: Seaview has demonstrated disseminated sulphides including 5.8 metres at 1.12% nickel, 0.71% copper and 0.06% cobalt and 7 metres at 1.35% nickel, 0.45% copper and 0.08% cobalt;
- Skyline: Similarly, drilling at Skyline intersected disseminated sulphides: 2.2 metres at 1.16% nickel, 1.41% copper and 0.08% cobalt;
- Atrium: Drilling is underway at this prospect to test a strong, bedrock-hosted, fixed loop electromagnetic (FLEM) conductor underlying an outcropping nickel-rich gossan; and
- Woodbrook: A nickel-rich gossan (0.63% nickel and 0.13% copper) and copper-rich gossan (1.4% copper and 0.2% nickel) identified with no ground electromagnetic (EM) coverage; surface EM surveying to commence shortly followed by drilling.
Most of the gossans observed at Atrium and Woodbrook are undisturbed, indicating an absence of prior exploration activity.
Multiple promising prospects along SMC
“We’re fortunate that there is virtually no soil cover over the majority of the Andover Project and most rocks, including those that contain the nickel and copper sulphide mineralisation, are exposed at surface,” Azure Minerals managing director Tony Rovira said
“Starting in the southwest quadrant of the property, our exploration team is accurately mapping the surface geology and defining the Southern Mineralised Corridor, a more than 4-kilometre-long nickel-rich mineralised belt.
“Outcropping mineralised gossans, considered likely to represent massive nickel-copper sulphides at depth, have been identified at Atrium, Woodbrook and other exciting prospects, and diamond drilling has already commenced at Atrium to test a strong, bedrock-hosted, fixed-loop electromagnetic conductor.
“The mapping and surface sampling campaign is now expanding to cover the eastern part of the property and identify extensions of the mineralised system.
Underexplored prospects
“This work will enable us to vector in on other prospective parts of the mineralising intrusion, which will then be drilled to continue building the mineral resource base at the Andover Project as quickly as possible.”
The section of the SMC between the Atrium and Skyline prospects remains underexplored. Azure is already engaged in mapping and sampling programs in the area, with surface EM surveys and drilling expected to follow.
A surface EM survey is also underway at the Pipeline prospect – with drilling to follow – and more mapping, surface sampling and EM surveying will be carried out over the next six months to define targets over the possible 6-kilometre extension of the SMC to the east.