Chalice Mining Limited (ASX: CHN) has reported further high-grade results from ongoing step-out and resource definition drilling at the Gonneville Intrusion within its Julimar Nickel-Copper-PGE Project in Western Australia. Three RC and four diamond drilling rigs are continuing the ~160,000m drill program, with over 120,000m of drilling completed to date and a significant number of assay results pending.
Results have now been received for 75 new drill holes. This includes results for drilling targeting infill of the high-grade G4, G11 (footwall contact zones), G6, and G7 zones on a nominal 40m x 40m spaced grid; the northern and down-dip extensions to the G1-G10 zones; and the non-magnetic pyroxenite-rich north-western part of the Gonneville Intrusion.
Infill drilling
Standout results include:
- JRC222 (oxide) – 25m @ 3.0g/t Pd, 1.4g/t Pt, 0.2g/t Au, 0.3% Ni, 0.3% Cu, 0.03% Co from 0m (oxide)
- JRC228 (G11 zone) – 14m @ 4.2g/t Pd, 1.1g/t Pt, 0.2g/t Au, 0.5% Ni, 0.8% Cu, 0.03% Co from 85m
- JRC217 (oxide) – 23m @ 1.9g/t Pd, 0.5g/t Pt, 0.2% Ni, 0.3% Cu, 0.06% Co from 4m
- JRC225 (oxide) – 19m @ 2.2g/t Pd, 0.6g/t Pt, 0.1g/t Au, 0.1% Ni, 0.2% Cu, 0.14% Co from 10m
- JD045 (G11 zone) – 1m @ 7.7g/t Pd, 1.4g/t Pt, 0.4g/t Au, 0.2% Ni, 0.1% Cu from 66.9m
- JRC216 (G2 zone) – 14m @ 1.6g/t Pd, 0.3g/t Pt, 0.5% Ni, 0.3% Cu, 0.06% Co from 214m
- JD046 (G11 zone) – 4m @ 11.7g/t Pd, 2.7g/t Pt, 0.2g/t Au, 0.5% Ni, 0.2% Cu, 0.04% Co from 36m
- JRC235 (G11 zone) – 5m @ 4.6g/t Pd, 0.8g/t Pt, 0.3g/t Au, 0.6% Ni, 2.2% Cu, 0.05% Co from 165m
- JRC217 (G2 zone) – 11m @ 2.6g/t Pd, 0.4g/t Pt, 0.5% Ni, 0.3% Cu, 0.03% Co from 82m
- JD055 (G6 zone) – 12m @ 1.8g/t Pd, 0.2g/t Pt, 0.4g/t Au, 0.2% Ni, 0.9% Cu, 0.02% Co from 95m
- JRC206 (G2 zone) – 3m @ 3.4g/t Pd, 1.9g/t Pt, 0.1g/t Au, 1.0% Ni, 4.9% Cu, 0.12% Co from 58m
- JRC229D – 10m @ 2.0g/t Pd, 0.5g/t Pt, 0.7g/t Au, 0.1% Ni, 1.1% Cu, 0.01% Co from 206m
Step-out drilling
Standout results include:
- JRC248 (G5 zone) – 7m @ 3.8g/t Pd, 0.8g/t Pt, 0.8% Ni, 0.1% Cu, 0.08% Co from 189m
- JRC244 (G3 zone) – 5m @ 2.4g/t Pd, 0.9g/t Pt, 1.2% Ni, 0.3% Cu, 0.08% Co from 44m
- JRC243 (G10 zone) – 15m @ 1.5g/t Pd, 0.4g/t Pt, 0.3% Ni, 0.1% Cu, 0.03% Co from 198m
The infill drilling across multiple high-grade zones continues to support the geological model and continuity of mineralisation, while step-out drilling has extended the high-grade G3, G5, and G10 zones along strike.
Julimar project
The Julimar Nickel-Copper-Platinum Group Element (PGE) Project is located ~70km north-east of Perth in Western Australia.
In March 2020, Chalice made a significant greenfield PGE-Ni-Cu-Co-Au discovery at the project, called the Gonneville Discovery. The Gonneville Discovery is hosted within the ~1.8km x >0.9km Gonneville Intrusion, a layered mafic-ultramafic ‘sill’, with a moderate westerly dip and gentle northerly plunge.
Initial reconnaissance exploration around Julimar has determined that Gonneville appears to be part of a ~26km long intrusive complex (the Julimar Complex). Several highly prospective regional EM/gravity/soil targets have been defined across the complex and are yet to be drill tested.
A maiden Mineral Resource Estimate for Gonneville is expected in early Q4 2021, and Chalice has commenced early-stage studies to support a potential mining project development.
Next steps
In addition to the ongoing infill drilling, initial wide-spaced RC drilling targeting the extension of the high-grade G4 and G11 zones to the north-east is continuing.
Drilling at the ~6.5km long Hartog Target is anticipated to commence in late Q3 2021, subject to access approval.
Comprehensive work program has been approved for Julimar in FY22, encompassing exploration, resource definition, environmental baselining, and studies.
Diamond and RC drilling will continue to test high-priority targets including EM conductors, and further drilling along strike and down dip may occur at these and other targets depending on results.
The company plans to carry out Down-hole EM surveying on selective drill holes to test for off-hole conductors, and subsequent holes will undergo down-hole EM if required.
“Resource drilling at Gonneville continues at a rapid pace, with predominantly infill drilling continuing to confirm a robust, major PGE-Ni-Cu-Co-Au deposit”
Management comments
Chalice Managing Director, Alex Dorsch, said: “Resource drilling at Gonneville continues at a rapid pace, with predominantly infill drilling continuing to confirm a robust, major PGE-Ni-Cu-Co-Au deposit. These latest results confirm continuous zones of high-grade sulphide mineralisation, as well as a large oxide / disseminated sulphide footprint.
We continue to see impressive zones of shallow Pd-Cu-Au mineralisation along the eastern footwall contact of the intrusion, with these zones remaining open to the north-east. Step-out drilling is continuing to test the extent of the Gonneville Intrusion in this direction. Our understanding of the geology and metallogenesis of the deposit continues to improve as we gather more data.
Concurrently with the 7-rig resource drill-out, we are also progressing a comprehensive metallurgical testwork program on both the sulphide and oxide mineralisation at Gonneville. The core Chalice study team has now been assembled and several other preliminary studies are underway to guide the scoping and feasibility stages of the project.
We continue to work closely with the relevant State Government departments regarding access to the Julimar State Forest for initial drill testing to the north of Gonneville, with initial wide-spaced drilling anticipated to commence at Hartog in late Q3 2021, subject to access approval.”
Images: Chalice Mining Limited