Discovery Extended At Depth
Blackstone Minerals Limited (ASX:BSX) has extended the KCZ zone at depth within the Ban Phuc DSS in Vietnam with significant down-dip extension results.
Managing Director, Scott Williamson, said the company’s ongoing drilling programme continues to provide exciting results.
“Drilling at our KCZ continues to deliver high-grade, shallow, disseminated nickel sulfide mineralisation. The broad intersections are proving up down-dip extensions to what looks like a very economic starter pit scenario at King Cobra,” Mr Williamson said.
“We look forward to further shallow, high-grade results from King Cobra while we also continue to aggressively drill the exciting MSV targets such as Ban Chang to supplement the bulk tonnage opportunities from Ban Phuc and KCZ.”
Blackstone’s maiden drill holes BP20-26, BP20-27, and BP20-28 intersected the following significant results:
- BP20-26 58.15m @ 0.92% Ni, 0.15% Cu, 0.02% Co 0.17g/t PGE from 58.2m; incl. 46.8m @ 1.04% Ni, 0.18% Cu, 0.20% Co & 0.19g/t PGE from 65.8m
- BP20-27 74.8m @ 0.83% Ni, 0.12% Cu, 0.02% Co & 0.19g/t PGE from 61.5m; incl. 16.25m @ 1.31% Ni, 0.17% Cu, 0.02% Co 0.30g/t PGE from 63.5m and 17.8m @ 1.06% Ni, 0.2% Cu, 0.02% Co 0.21g/t PGE from 116.5m and 3.5m @ 2.36% Ni, 0.22% Cu, 0.06% Co 0.03g/t PGE from 156.5m; incl. 0.7m @ 7.44% Ni, 0.59% Cu, 0.19% Co & 0.03g/t PGE from 159.3m
- BP20-28 141m @ 0.46% Ni, 0.06% Cu, 0.01% Co & 0.13g/t PGE from 20m; incl. 18.1m @ 0.81% Ni, 0.12% Cu, 0.01% Co & 0.23g/t PGE from 65.8m and 73.3m @ 0.72% Ni, 0.07% Cu, 0.01% Co & 0.45g/t PGE from 227m (BDZ); incl. 27.65m @ 1.17% Ni, 0.16% Cu, 0.01% Co & 0.85g/t PGE from 235m (BDZ) incl. 16.35m @ 1.33% Ni, 0.18% Cu, 0.02% Co & 1.01g/t PGE from 246m (BDZ)
Mr Williamson said Blackstone’s drilling continues to intersect the KCZ over 200m of strike length and the discovery remains open down dip and along strike to the north-west and south-east. Blackstone has completed initial resource drilling at Ban Phuc and placed two rigs on standby, however it continues its aggressive exploration program with one diamond drill rig targeting the down dip extents of the KCZ and two diamond drill rigs testing MSV targets throughout the Ta Khoa Nickel-Cu-PGE project, initially at the Ban Chang prospect.
Since announcing an option agreement in May 2019, Blackstone has made significant progress at the Ta Khoa Nickel-Cu-PGE Project, drilling +12,000m of diamond core in more than 65 holes into the Ban Phuc DSS deposit and KCZ. Blackstone is well advanced with an initial scoping study evaluating mining and processing options, including potential in-country downstream processing to deliver high value nickel sulfate into Asia’s rapidly expanding electric vehicle (EV) industry.
Blackstone’s recently completed Share Subscription Agreement (with Korea’s largest and the world’s second largest, EV battery cathode manufacturer, EcoPro Co Limited, represents a significant step toward making this a reality.
