ASX-listed company Azure Minerals (ASX:AZS) reports the return of one of the best mineralised intersections to date from a diamond drilling (DD) campaign at the Ridgeline nickel-copper-cobalt (Ni-Cu-Co) deposit, as part of its Andover project in Western Australia (WA).
The results, generated by drillhole ANDD0177, have returned an intercept of 18.2m at 1.93% Ni, 0.65% Cu and 0.08% Co from 508.2m including 9.3m at 2.58% Ni, 0.75% Cu and 0.10% Co from 510.5m, which represents the the highest Ni grade to date.
In addition, this strongly mineralised intersection confirms that not only does the Ridgeline deposit continue to grow, but the main zones of massive and semi-massive Ni sulphides remain open down-plunge, warranting future uplifts in mineral resources with further drilling.
Drillhole ANDD0177 represents the last drillhole of the current mineral resource DD program within the Ridgeline deposit, however additional DD is reported to be continuing in other known occurrences of Ni-Cu-Co sulphide mineralisation, including the Seaview and Skyline deposits.
Additional drillholes are reportedly being designed to test the deeper mineralised potential of the Ridgeline deposit
Additional drillholes are reportedly being designed to test the deeper mineralised potential of the Ridgeline deposit.
Azure Minerals also notes that drilling at Ridgeline has defined 2 sub-parallel, east-west striking mineralised horizons over strike lengths of more than 350m and 200m to depths between 200m and 500m below surface respectively.
It is reported that detailed geological and structural logging within these mineralised horizons successfully defined 3 northwest-plunging shoots, with each shoot comprising broad widths of massive and semi-massive sulphide mineralisation, as well as ‘high-grade’ Ni mineralisation.
Azure Minerals’ Andover project is located in WA’s West Pilbara region and covers most of the Andover Mafic-Ultramafic Intrusive Complex, with exploration successfully discovering several ‘significant’ bodies of Ni, Cu and Co sulphide mineralisation. The project represents a joint-venture (JV) operation between Azure (60%) and privately-held resources company Creasy Group (40%) and currently boasts a JORC 2012 Mineral Resource Estimate (MRE) of 4.6Mt at 1.11% Ni, 0.47% Cu and 0.05% Co (1.41% NiEq) for 51,700t of contained Ni, 21,700t of contained Cu and 2,290t of contained Co.
With the DD campaign at the Ridgeline deposit now complete, Azure Minerals announces it will move forward with project-wide geological mapping and rock chip sampling programs in order to identify new prospective horizons further to the northeast of the tenement.
Processing and interpretation of the results gathered from the various exploration programs are set to be completed over the coming months and are expected to generate and define further high priority targets.
Images: Azure Minerals Ltd
