Emu NL (ASX:EMU) has received petrology reports which indicate the presence of primary magmatic disseminated nickel sulphide mineralisation at the company’s Sunfire Nickel-Copper-PGE Project near Bridgetown, Western Australia.
An assessment of petrology studies outlined in WAMEX reports, prepared by Planet Mining company Pty Ltd in 1970, highlights the identification of fine grained disseminated pentlandite and millerite nickel sulphides in diamond drill holes Y001 and Y003.
The information contained in the reports, provides evidence of the prospectivity at depth and along the structures of the layered ultramafic sequence of the Seaton-Ross trend.
Further, it gives EMU confidence to explore at depth for primary magmatic and structurally remobilised nickel sulphide targets, as well as for shallower laterite nickel, cobalt, chrome deposits. Until now, exploration at Sunfire has largely been focused on a 1500m zone of the Seaton-Ross magnetic trend within State Forest.
A further 5.5 km strike extension of this trend remains untested. Similarly, a 7.5km length of strike in parallel belts, one to the north (Yornup Trend), and the other to the south (Mersea Trend), requires systematic exploration.
Recent exploration focus has been directed towards the presence of nickel and chromite within laterites and near-surface positions. The results from historic surface geochemistry and shallow drilling at Sunfire have identified significant zones of nickel and copper anomalism.
But now, Emu intends to extend its exploration effort to look for deeper primary nickel and copper sulphides located under widespread, shallow Tertiary laterite cover which masks layered mafic-ultramafic intrusions.
“The Board is excited to announce the unearthing of historical information relating to its Sunfire nickel-copper-PGE project near Bridgetown in the southwest of WA,” Emu’s management stated.
“Emu’s exploration team delved into circa 50-year-old exploration records made available via WAMEX1 . In the 1970s, Planet Mining was a company that completed several diamond drill holes at Sunfire.
“Clearly, exploration back then was not equipped with the technology we currently enjoy and utilise to pinpoint and quantify potential nickel sulphide orebodies.
“A half century later, grades then passed over by nickel explorers as non-economic, are subject to re-evaluation based on today’s higher nickel prices, changed mining practices and processing techniques, and the burgeoning global demand profile as battery materials demand increases.
“The historical information, sourced from WAMEX, incudes drill core results confirming the presence of disseminated primary magmatic nickel sulphides. It can therefore be no surprise that this news has boosted EMU’s enthusiasm for the prospectivity of Sunfire.”
Eme has planned a detailed soil geochemical survey to extend the footprint of known surface geochemical anomalism. It has also scheduled a programme of fixed loop electromagnetic (FLEM) surveys over the anomalous zones to identify any bedrock conductors for follow-up drill testing.
The FLEM survey is scheduled in mid-2022 following finalisation of the formal administrative processes pursuant to the acquisition of the project tenements.
Sunfire Project
The Sunfire Project adjoins the Chalice Mining/Venture Minerals’ Southwest Project (Chalice earning-in), and is highly prospective for nickel, copper and PGE’s.
Emu has identified 3 prominent magnetic anomalies representing mafic-ultramafic intrusions along northeast trending belts, paralleling the JV’s Thor discovery.
Venture Minerals recently announced that Chalice Mining had interpreted a “Julimar lookalike” immediately to the northwest of Sunfire along parallel structures with 13 conductors outlined from an airborne geophysical survey.
Chalice Mining further determined that these conductors yielded wide and significant palladium intervals similar to those found in early drilling phases of the Julimar nickel-copper-PGE discovery. For further information please visit: https://www.emunl.com.au/
