Battery metals exploration company Azure Minerals (ASX:AZS) has delivered a maiden Mineral Resource Estimate (MRE) for the Ridgeline deposit, located within the Andover Nickel Project in Western Australia.
The company says Ridgeline contains 1.3Mt @ 1.11% nickel (Ni), 0.46% copper (Cu), and 0.05% cobalt (Co) for 14,700 tonnes of contained nickel, 6,100 tonnes of contained copper, and 640 tonnes of contained cobalt at a cut-off grade of 0.5% Ni.
This maiden MRE also increases the global MRE for Andover by 28% to 6 million tonnes @ 1.11% Ni, 0.47% Cu, and 0.05% Co for 66,400 tonnes of contained nickel, 27,800 tonnes of contained copper, and 3,100 tonnes of contained cobalt.
“With the final and deepest drillhole at Ridgeline returning the best mineralised intersection to date (14.5m @ 2.26% Ni), I am confident that we can grow this resource even further”
Commenting on the MRE, Azure Minerals Managing Director Tony Rovira said: “I am pleased to present the Ridgeline Mineral Resource Estimate which is a great result and demonstrates that there continues to be excellent potential to significantly expand the resource base of the Andover Nickel Project through ongoing exploration success.
With the final and deepest drillhole at Ridgeline returning the best mineralised intersection to date (14.5m @ 2.26% Ni), I am confident that we can grow this resource even further.
It is a credit to our exploration team that, after just over 2 years, we are in the position to be able to release a second robust Mineral Resource Estimate for Andover. Ridgeline is blind to surface, which increased the challenge of identifying and defining the mineralisation.
Given the technical understanding and knowledge that our team has built up through systematic exploration of the project area, I am confident that the team can deliver more discoveries.
Azure is in an excellent position to continue to explore and realise the nickel potential of the Andover Project and I look forward to providing further updates as we progress.”
Azure reports the MRE was completed by CSA Global, and was based on the results of 58 diamond drillholes between 2021 and 2022 for a total of 33,065.3m.
All holes were assayed where they intersected mineralisation slides, and for any internal waste and external lengths for several metres outside the lodes. The company says this yielded 5,550 assay records, of which 4,313 intercepted mineralisation.
The Andover project is located 35km southeast of Karratha, and immediately south of the town Roebourne. The company also notes the Ridgeline Deposit is within Exploration Licence E47/2481 which is a joint venture (JV) between Azure Minerals and private company the Creasy Group split 60% to 40% respectively.
Azure Minerals is an Australian battery metals exploration company focused on ‘high-value’ nickel, copper, and cobalt required for a clean and green energy future. The company holds a portfolio of projects across Western Australia including the Andover, Barton, Turner River, and Coongan projects.
