Azure Minerals Limited (ASX: AZS) has received further high-grade assay results and promising visually identified mineralised intersections from its drilling programme at the Ridgeline Ni-Cu-Co sulphide deposit, which forms part of the Andover Ni-Cu-Co Project – located in the West Pilbara region of Western Australia.
“These high-grade assay results, together with numerous visually identified strongly mineralised intervals (for which assays are awaited) are very encouraging, and it’s exciting that drilling at Ridgeline continues to intersect substantial nickel and copper sulphide mineralisation,” Managing Director, Tony Rovira, said.
“The widest and highest-grade parts of the deposit are contained within two steeply plunging, strongly mineralised shoots that demonstrate significant vertical extent and remain unconstrained up and down plunge. Drilling is continuing at Ridgeline while our ongoing regional exploration continues to identify more drilling targets across the wider Andover Project.”
Drilling details
Two diamond rigs are currently undertaking extensional and infill drilling at the Ridgeline deposit, with 53 holes completed to date for a total of 30,860m of diamond drilling.
Assay results have been received up to and including hole ANDD0151 plus hole ANDD0159. Assay turnaround from the laboratory is now exceeding 12 weeks, with results for a further 20 holes awaited.
Drilling continues to deliver significant mineralised intersections (see Table 1), including: ANDD0135 o 2.9m@1.34%Ni,0.53%Cu&0.07%Cofrom456.2mdownhole.
ANDD0137 o 0.5m @ 2.43% Ni, 0.23% Cu & 0.11% Co from 106.8m downhole. o 1.6m @ 1.17% Ni, 0.50% Cu & 0.06% Co from 494.2m downhole.
ANDD0138 o 6.3m @ 1.68% Ni, 0.46% Cu & 0.08% Co from 417.0m downhole, including 3.3m@2.80%Ni,0.55%Cu&0.13%Cofrom418.0mdownhole.
ANDD0139 o 4.3m @ 1.99% Ni, 1.37%Cu & 0.09%Co from 516.4m downhole, including 3.2m@2.53%Ni,1.75%Cu&0.12%Cofrom517.0mdownhole.
ANDD0140 o 3.8m @ 1.14% Ni, 0.27% Cu & 0.05% Co from 505.0m downhole.
Additionally, several recent holes intersected substantial quantities of visible disseminated, heavily disseminated, matrix, semi-massive and massive sulphide mineralisation for which assays are awaited. Visually, the sulphide assemblage consists of pyrrhotite-pentlandite- chalcopyrite and spot readings utilising the handheld pXRF confirmed the presence of nickel and copper mineralisation.
Drilling continues to focus on extending and defining the Ridgeline deposit, to support the production of a Mineral Resource Estimate. Following completion of the Ridgeline drill-out, drilling will recommence at other known occurrences of Ni-Cu-Co sulphide mineralisation at Seaview and Skyline and follow up anomalism at Atrium and Pipeline.
Meanwhile, exploration continues to generate and refine additional drilling targets. Project-wide geological mapping and rock chip sampling programs are in full swing, focused on detailed exploration of the Southern Mineralised Corridor between Andover and Seaview and better defining this prospective horizon further to the northeast (see Figure 4).
Downhole electromagnetic surveying (DHEM) is ongoing and s urface fixed-loop electromagnetic surveying (FLEM) will recommence in late July, focusing on highly prospective areas where gossans and Ni-Cu sulphides have been mapped at surface.
The first priority will be over the Southern Mineralised Corridor from Woodbrook to Andover, before moving to targets further to the northeast. A high sensitivity SQUID sensor and more powerful larger loops will be utilised for the upcoming surface surveys to screen deeper for accumulations of massive sulphides.
For further information please visit: https://azureminerals.com.au/
