Auroch Minerals Historic Review Highlights Nickel Potential
THE DRILL SERGEANT: Auroch Minerals (ASX: AOU) completed a review of historic data that it claims has confirmed thick high-grade massive nickel sulphide mineralisation at the company’s recently-acquired Leinster project in Western Australia.
Auroch Minerals said the review involved recalculation of important intersections for all historic drill-holes undertaken at the Horn prospect, several of which demonstrated thick zones of high-grade nickel sulphide mineralisation, including:
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14.66 metres at 2.19 per cent nickel, 0.48 per cent copper and 0.12 per cent cobalt from 132.6m down-hole;
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7m at 2.58 per cent nickel, 0.63 per cent copper and 0.14 per cent cobalt from 158.6m down-hole; and
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10.8m at 2.21 per cent nickel, 0.53 per cent copper and 0.12 per cent cobalt from 143.97m down-hole.
Reviewing the modelled mineralisation in long-section at the Horn prospect demonstrated that thick high-grade nickel mineralisation occurs at relatively-shallow depths, and remains open along strike and down plunge.
Auroch had reprocessing of the high-resolution aeromagnetic data at the Leinster project completed by Southern Geoscience Consultants (SGC) that showed a strong correlation between the known nickel sulphide mineralisation and magnetic highs.
The company now has interpretation and modelling of the reprocessed data underway.
SGC has also commenced reprocessing and modelling of the large amount of down-hole electromagnetic (DHEM) data and surface moving-loop EM (MLEM) data at both the Horn and Valdez target areas of the Leinster project, in order to confirm the conductivity and location of the modelled EM plates that will be the focus of an RC drilling program to be carried out early in 2020.
“Our review of the large historical geological database from the Leinster project has demonstrated thick zones of massive nickel sulphide mineralisation within prospective ultramafic lithologies,” Auroch Minerals managing director Aidan Platel said in the company’s announcement to the Australian Securities Exchange.
“Reprocessing the detailed aeromagnetic data has provided insight into the known nickel sulphide mineralisation and hence confirmed the importance of aeromagnetic data when targeting komatiitic nickel sulphide mineralisation.
“We look forward to receiving the reprocessed EM data from SGC which will form the basis of our targeting for the RC drilling program planned for early 2020.
“The known mineralisation at the Horn provides an excellent base to build on, whilst the strong EM conductor in prospective lithologies at Valdez provides an excellent target for a potential new nickel sulphide discovery in close proximity to existing processing infrastructure.”
Email: admin@aurochminerals.com