AusQuest Limited (ASX: AQD) has upgraded the exploration potential of its Morrisey Nickel-Copper-PGE Project located within the Narryer terrane of Western Australia (WA), after receiving highly encouraging results from soil geochemical programmes.
Soil sampling conducted over three previously-reported helicopter-borne electromagnetic (HEM) targets has highlighted the presence of anomalous copper and/or nickel in close proximity to the HEM conductors, significantly upgrading their potential. A total of 698 soil samples were collected on 100m x 50m grids over the three HEM targets, now named the Sandfly, Waterfall and Bilga Rocks prospects.
The HEM responses are thought to reflect sulphide mineralisation within the large magnetic complexes that outline possible intrusive mafic/ultramafic bodies similar to the those that host the Ni-Cu-PGE mineralisation discovered recently by Chalice Mining at the Julimar Project, north of Perth.
Results from the soil sampling program confirmed the presence of mafic and ultramafic rocks within the targeted magnetic complexes and highlighted anomalous nickel (>60ppm and up to 500ppm Ni) and copper (>50ppm and up to 110ppm Cu) values in the vicinity of the HEM targets. This suggests excellent potential for base metal sulphides to be associated with the EM conductors.
Anomalous nickel and/or copper values found within the magnetic complexes but not associated with the conductors are also of interest as they may reflect the potential for disseminated Ni-CuPGE mineralisation within the mafic/ultramafic host rocks.
Selected PGE analyses for the anomalous samples have been requested with results pending. Soil results from the Sandfly prospect also reported anomalous molybdenum (>3.0ppm Mo) and arsenic (>6ppm As) values immediately to the west of the HEM target, suggesting the possibility for other styles of mineralisation (iron-oxide copper-gold (IOCG) and Broken Hill Type BHT) at this prospect.
Scattered outcrops of banded iron formations (BIF) in the Sandfly area could support this concept. Ground EM surveys to optimise drill sites within each of the three prospects have been planned and are expected to be completed within the next six weeks, pending crew availability.
The Morrisey Project, which is held under the Strategic Alliance Agreement (SAA) with a whollyowned subsidiary of South32 Limited, covers an area of ~1,200km² and extends for a strike length of ~80km along the north-western margin of the Yilgarn Craton within the high-grade metamorphic Narryer Terrane of WA.
The Project was initially secured to cover magnetic targets indicative of mafic/ultramafic host rocks in a similar tectono-stratigraphic setting to the Julimar (and possibly Nova-Bollinger) discoveries, which highlighted the untested nickel-copper-PGE potential of the new West Yilgarn Ni-Cu-PGE Province.
AusQuest Managing Director Graeme Drew said the highly encouraging soil sampling results reinforced the significant exploration potential of the Morrisey Project.
“The association of EM targets with anomalous geochemistry and potentially favourable host rocks for Ni-Cu-PGE mineralisation make these compelling targets,” he said.
“We are looking forward to reporting results from the ground EM surveys, which will help us to refine potential drilling locations.”
For further information please visit: http://www.ausquest.com.au/
