Large WA PGE Project Continues To Excite
Chalice Mining Limited (ASX: CHN | OTCQB: CGMLF) has reported significant new results from ongoing exploration and evaluation activities at its 100%-owned Julimar Nickel-Copper-Platinum Group Element (PGE) Project, located ~70km north-east of Perth in Western Australia.
Seven rigs (three reverse circulation (RC) and four diamond) are continuing the ~160,000m step- out and resource definition drill programme at the ~1.8km x >0.9km Gonneville Intrusion with over 120,000m of drilling completed to date and a significant number of assay results pending.
Results have now been received for drilling targeting:
- Infill of the high-grade G4, G11 (footwall contact zones), G6 and G7 zones on a nominal 40m x 40m spaced grid;
- The northern and down-dip extensions to the G1-G10 zones; and
- The non-magnetic pyroxenite-rich north-western part of the Gonneville Intrusion (initial wide- spaced lines on ~160m x 80m grid);
A total of 118 diamond drill holes and 324 RC drill holes (including RC pre-collars with diamond tails) have been completed to date at the project (~120,000m), of which assay results have now been reported for 56 diamond and 249 RC holes. Assay results remain pending for a further 137 completed drill holes with lab turnaround times currently averaging approximately nine weeks.
Within the 75 new drill holes reported in this announcement, there were:
* 298 mineralised intervals (>4m width and >0.3g/t Pd cut-off grade);
* 215 high-grade PGE intervals (>2m width and >1g/t Pd cut-off grade), including: 53 high-grade Pd-Ni-Cu intervals (>2m width, >1g/t Pd and >0.5% Ni+Cu cut-off grade).
Managing Director, Alex Dorsch, said Chalice has submitted a second Conservation Management Plan (CMP) that outlines the company’s proposed approach to initial drill testing at the Hartog and Baudin Targets, which lie within the Julimar State Forest. Small, track-mounted diamond rigs have been proposed, which do not require mechanised vegetation clearance and minimise disturbance to flora and fauna.
“Resource drilling at Gonneville continues at a rapid pace, with predominantly infill drilling continuing to confirm a robust, major PGE-Ni-Cu-Co-Au deposit. These latest results confirm continuous zones of high-grade sulphide mineralisation, as well as a large oxide / disseminated sulphide footprint,” Mr Dorsch said.
“We continue to see impressive zones of shallow Pd-Cu-Au mineralisation along the eastern footwall contact of the intrusion, with these zones remaining open to the north-east.
“Step-out drilling is continuing to test the extent of the Gonneville Intrusion in this direction. Our understanding of the geology and metallogenesis of the deposit continues to improve as we gather more data.
“Concurrently with the seven-rig resource drill-out, we are also progressing a comprehensive metallurgical testwork program on both the sulphide and oxide mineralisation at Gonneville. The core Chalice study team has now been assembled and several other preliminary studies are underway to guide the scoping and feasibility stages of the project.
“We continue to work closely with the relevant State Government departments regarding access to the Julimar State Forest for initial drill testing to the north of Gonneville, with initial wide-spaced drilling anticipated to commence at Hartog in late Q3 2021, subject to access approval.”
For further information please visit: https://chalicemining.com/
