Nordic Nickel Limited (ASX: NNL) has received assay results for the first diamond drillhole completed at its flagship Pulju Nickel Project in the Central Lapland Greenstone Belt (CLGB) of northern Finland.
Assays for diamond drillhole HOT001, completed as part of the company’s maiden diamond drilling programme at the Hotinvaara Prospect at the Project, have confirmed significant scale and endowment within the nickel sulphide system at Pulju.
Importantly, the hole encountered multiple mineralised zones to 624m downhole. The grade of the mineralization intersected is consistent with the current Mineral Resource Estimate (MRE) for Hotinvaara of 133.8Mt @0.21% Ni and 0.01% Co, with the mineralized zones extending well beyond the current MRE envelope.
The Phase 1, 22,000m drilling programme at Hotinvaara is focused on a dual exploration strategy of targeting geophysical anomalies, including electromagnetic (EM) conductor plates interpreted to be zones of massive sulphide accumulation, together with extensions to the previously defined MRE.
While Nordic is targeting massive nickel-copper sulphides within the disseminated nickel sulphide mineralization, of a similar style to the nearby world-class Sakatti Deposit, the ongoing drilling is also increasing confidence in the significant size and district-scale potential of the near-surface disseminated nickel sulphide mineralization at the Hotinvaara Prospect.
“These first assays from our maiden diamond drilling program have added to the excitement around the scale and endowment of the nickel sulphide system at Pulju and its significant growth potential,” Managing Director, Todd Ross, said.
“Excitingly, this hole provides our first insight into the potential for mineralization below the existing Mineral Resource – which was based entirely on historical drilling and extends to a maximum depth of 500m with 81% of the MRE in the top 250m. HOT001 intersected multiple zones of disseminated nickel sulphide mineralization to a downhole depth of 624m in the prospective ultramafic lithologies, with the system remaining entirely open in several directions.
“The clear implication of this is that the historical drilling has hardly scratched the surface of the Hotinvaara Prospect, which itself makes up just 2% of Nordic’s land package at Pulju.
“This is an important first hole for Nordic Nickel which confirms we have a potentially world-class asset at Pulju. It provides clear evidence of the potential to expand the current MRE at Hotinvaara, while also confirming the significant nickel sulphide endowment of the system.
“It also augurs well for the potential discovery of additional high-grade massive sulphide zones, which remains a key focus of our drilling. We are looking forward to an exciting and productive period for the company over the coming months as the pace of assay turnaround begins to increase.”
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