Auroch Minerals (ASX: AOU) has reported high-grade nickel sulphides from drilling at the Saint Andrews deposit within its Saints Nickel Project in Western Australia, with assays of up to 6.92m @ 2.42% Ni, 0.17% Cu & 0.63 g/t PGE, including samples grading as high as 8.8% Ni.
Auroch says that drill-hole SNDD018 intersected massive nickel sulphides in two zones, with assays pending above the upper zone to potentially extend the zone even further.
Standout results from upper mineralised zone included 2.13m @ 3.26% Ni, 0.19% Cu, and 1.24g/t PGE (Pt + Pd) from 167.99m, including 0.31m @ 8.83% Ni, 0.44% Cu, and 2.91g/t PGE (Pt + Pd) from 169.81m
In the lower mineralised zone, SNDD018 intersected 4.79m @ 2.05%Ni, 0.16%Cu, and 0.36g/t PGE (Pt+Pd) from311.98m, including 0.77m @ 5.09% Ni, 0.47% Cu, and 0.50 g/t PGE (Pt + Pd) from 316m.
Addressing the result, Auroch Minerals Managing Director Aidan Platel said: “This is an excellent result for the first hole of our current diamond drill programme at Saints, confirming two zones of high-grade nickel sulphide mineralisation at Saint Andrews, with individual assays as high as 8.83% Ni!
“we are working hard to fast-track assay results so that we can commence work on upgrading the Saints Resource”
With 10 drill-holes now complete, we are working hard to fast-track assay results so that we can commence work on upgrading the Saints Resource, as well as commencing metallurgical testwork from the composite drill core samples.
With the strong nickel price reaching amazing all-time records yesterday of over US$100,000/t4, we believe the Saints Nickel Project presents significant economic value, and the team is working hard on completing the Saints Scoping Study as we look forward to potential near-term production.”
The company had commenced a major diamond drill program at Saints, aimed at upgrading the project’s current Mineral Resource Estimate of 1.02Mt @ 2.0% Ni for 21,400kt of contained nickel from an Inferred to predominantly Indicated Resource category.
Ten holes for 2,667m have now been completed, with seven of the holes located at the Saint Andrews Prospect and three at the Saint Patricks Prospect. The majority of the program has been infill drilling, including three holes specifically designed for metallurgical testwork required for the Saints Scoping Study.
Results from the program are expected to provide important inputs to the Saints Scoping Study as Auroch looks to leverage record nickel prices via potential near-term development.
Images: Auroch Minerals Limited
