Blackstone Minerals reports XRF readings up to 20% nickel at Ta Khoa, Vietnam

Blackstone Minerals (ASX: BSX) has reported massive and semi-massive sulphide vein along with net-textured nickel sulphide mineralisation following resource drilling at its flagship Ta Khoa Nickel Project in Northern Vietnam.

The results, generated from the project’s Suoi Phang and Suoi Chanh prospects, include semi-massive sulphide veins that are consistent with Blackstone’s electromagnetic targeting, with portable XRF readings from Suoi Phang returning grades of up to 20% Ni.

In addition, infill drilling conducted at the Ban Cheng and King Snake deposits have returned assays that indicate potential for King Snake to plunge further west and at depth, with key intercepts including:

• Hole KS21-34: 15.7m @ 1.25% Ni, 0.69% Cu, 0.05% Co & 1.66g/t PGE from 249.5m, incl.
  • 6.02m @ 2.18% Ni, 0.62% Cu, 0.08% Co & 2.97g/t PGE from 250.4m
• Hole KS21-38: 1.92m @ 3.02% Ni, 0.63% Cu, 0.11% Co & 2.13g/t PGE from 400.5m
• Hole KS21-40: 1.35m @ 3.67% Ni, 0.54% Cu, 0.15% Co & 2.25g/t PGE from 154.1m
• Hole KS21-32: 2.52m @ 1.07% Ni, 0.35% Cu, 0.04% Co & 1.93g/t PGE from 321.3m

Key results from Ban Chang include:

• Hole BC21-66: 9.6m @ 2.02% Ni, 1.92% Cu, 0.1% Co & 3.04g/t PGE from 60.1m, incl.
  • 4.8m @ 3.38% Ni, 3.07% Cu, 0.16% Co & 5.29g/t PGE from 63.7m
• Hole BC21-104: 6.75m @ 1.44% Ni, 2.1% Cu, 0.08% Co & 1.32g/t PGE from 27.7m, incl.
  • 3.65m @ 2.58% Ni, 2.1% Cu, 0.15% Co & 1.21g/t PGE from 30.8m
• Hole BC21-77: 25.55m @ 0.63% Ni, 0.43% Cu, 0.04% Co & 0.33g/t PGE from 43.65m, incl.
  • 3.57m @ 2.17% Ni, 0.82% Cu, 0.12% Co & 0.94g/t PGE from 62.43m
• Hole BC21-62: 3.75m @ 2.16% Ni, 0.82% Cu, 0.13% Co & 1.09g/t PGE from 101.6m
• Hole BC21-90: 13.95m @ 0.99% Ni, 0.63% Cu, 0.05% Co & 0.99g/t PGE1 from 78.75m, incl.
  • 8.52m @ 1.49% Ni, 0.88% Cu, 0.07% Co & 1.35g/t PGE1 from 79.08m
• Hole BC21-48: 7.75m @ 1.00% Ni, 0.53% Cu, 0.06% Co & 0.84g/t PGE1 from 59.25m, incl.
  • 2.65m @ 1.52% Ni, 0.43% Cu, 0.09% Co & 1.81g/t PGE1 from 63m

Addressing the results, Blackstone Minerals Managing Director Scott Williamson said: “It is an exciting phase of exploration for the Company as we start to look at massive sulphide opportunities in addition to Blackstone’s established resources at Ban Chang and King Snake.

“It is an exciting phase of exploration for the Company as we start to look at massive sulphide opportunities”

Suoi Chanh is yet another example of our in-house geophysics team’s proven track record, with success being achieved from the second drill hole. We look forward to continuing to systematically assess the massive sulphide potential at Ta Khoa.”

The company notes that these results could play a part in upgrading the current resources at King Snake and Ban Chang to a higher confidence category.

In addition, drill hole SC22-02 was successful in intersecting a mafic-ultramafic dyke of 2.55m thickness, delivering further potential that the project hosts additional massive sulphide veins.

The Ta Khoa Nickel Project is located approximately 160km west of the city of Hanoi within the Son La Province of northern Vietnam, with the company owning a 90% interest in all associated tenements.

The project boasts a refinery capacity of 400ktpa as well as 3.9Mt of concentrate feed with average Ni in concentrate grade of 11.5%, Co concentrate of 0.3% and a Cu concentrate grade of 1.1%.

Blackstone reports that with drilling activities still continuing across the Ta Khoa province, it expects to provide further updates to market once all operations are completed and assays are available for publication.

Images: Blackstone Minerals Limited