Blackstone Minerals Ltd (ASX:BSX, OTCQX:BLSTF) has recorded up to 20% nickel from portable XRF readings at its new massive sulphide discovery at the flagship Ta Khoa Nickel Project (TKNP) in Northern Vietnam.
Notably, the company’s drilling targeting new opportunities within the Ta Khoa district has identified massive sulphide vein (MSV), semi-massive sulphide vein (SMSV) and net-textured sulphide (NTS) mineralisation within the region.
Furthermore, Blackstone has continued resource drilling at its most advanced MSV deposits Ban Chang and King Snake, primarily focusing on upgrading the current resources into a higher confidence category.
“Massive sulphide opportunities”
Blackstone managing director Scott Williamson said: “It is an exciting phase of exploration for the company as we start to look at massive sulphide opportunities in addition to Blackstone’s established resources at Ban Chang and King Snake.
"Suoi Chanh is yet another example of our in-house geophysics’ teams proven track record, with success being achieved from the second drill hole.
“We look forward to continuing to systematically assess the massive sulphide potential at Ta Khoa.”
New targets
Blackstone’s exploration program at Suoi Phang is following up on targets generated from surface EM surveying, with the most recent drill hole (SP22-01) intersecting massive sulphides close to the surface, and with Portable XRF readings indicating the presence of up to 20% nickel.
At the Suoi Chanh prospect, the second drill hole SC22-02 has intersected SMSV consistent with the Blackstone electromagnetic (EM) targeting.
Core from Suoi Phang.
Resource drilling program
Resource drilling at Ban Chang and King Snake continues to deliver encouraging results.
The Ban Chang prospect geology consists of a tremolitic dyke swarm within phyllites, sericite schists and sandstones of the Sap Viet Horizon.
The MSV contains high-grade PGEs when compared to the previously mined Ban Phuc MSV deposit, which may indicate sulphide segregation in a PGE-bearing dyke before formation.
Similar to Ban Chang, King Snake contains high-grade PGEs compared to the previously mined Ban Phuc MSV deposit, which indicates that mineralisation was likely formed by sulphide segregation from PGE-bearing magma in an active feed dyke.
Highlights from infill drilling at Ban Chang and King Snake include:
- Ban Chang: 9.6 metres at 2.02% nickel, 1.92% copper, 0.1% cobalt and 3.04g/t PGE from 60.1 metres, including, 4.8 metres at 3.38% nickel, 3.07% copper, 0.16% cobalt and 5.29g/t PGE from 63.7 metres;
- King Snake: 15.7 metres at 1.25% nickel, 0.69% copper, 0.05% cobalt and 1.66g/t PGE from 249.5 metres, including, 6.02 metres at 2.18% nickel, 0.62% copper, 0.08% cobalt and 2.97g/t PGE from 250.4 metres.