Drilling Underway On New EM Conductor
Western Australian nickel company St George Mining Limited (ASX: SGQ) has commenced a drilling campaign to test multiple strong EM conductors has commenced at its flagship high-grade Mt Alexander Project, located in the north-eastern Goldfields.
“Geological and geophysical interpretation supports the new conductors at Investigators and West End having a massive sulphide source,” Executive Chairman, John Prineas,said:
“We are excited to start drilling of these powerful conductors and look forward to reporting results as drilling progresses.
“The metallurgical drilling at Stricklands has successfully concluded with high-grade samples now being prepared for transport to Canada.
“The thick nickel-copper sulphides at shallow depths intersected by the met holes is a reminder of the excellent high-grade mineralisation at Stricklands and its potential to support a robust starter mine.
“Our regional exploration is also progressing well, with potential for this work to deliver new nickel-copper sulphide targets across the broader tenement package.
“With the nickel price continuing to rise, nickel demand for the EV market growing and a dearth of high- grade nickel sulphide exploration success across Australia, Mt Alexander is well positioned to attract attention from investors looking for significant new high-grade nickel sulphide discoveries.”
Drilling is underway to test the strongest of five off-hole EM anomalies identified from the DHEM survey in MAD185. This target is modelled with conductivity of 33,100 Siemens and predicted to be intersected at 340m downhole.
The second target to be drilled will be the strongest of the two off-hole anomalies identified from the DHEM survey in MAD192. That conductor is modelled with conductivity of 55,550 Siemens and predicted to be intersected at 505m downhole.
These conductors have an electrical signature consistent with massive sulphides. Each of MAD185 and MAD192 intersected thick mafic-ultramafic units with disseminated nickel-copper sulphides – indicative of a fertile intrusive with prospectivity for higher grade mineralisation proximal to the hole.
Meanwhile, Mr Prineas said COVID-19 travel and movement restrictions introduced in Western Australia on January 31, 2021 have significantly impacted the availability of drill crews.
A replacement crew was unable to travel to Mt Alexander for the scheduled shift change on February 9, 2021, and drilling has continued with a single shift since that date. A second drill crew is expected to arrive at Mt Alexander soon to allow drilling to resume 24/7.
Seven diamond core (PQ-size) holes have been drilled at the Stricklands Prospect to provide samples of mineralisation for test work currently underway with XPS in Canada. A total of 483.2m was drilled for these metallurgical holes.
All drill holes were located within the existing resource envelope for Stricklands with abundant nickel-copper sulphides intersected for the required test work. Deeper drilling at Stricklands is also planned to test for potential extensions of the mineralisation down-plunge and below the existing resource envelope.
