Chalice Mining (ASX:CHN) reports that a 2D seismic survey has indicated the Gonneville Intrusion could extend down plunge to the north-west for 1.6km and beyond, highlighting significant growth potential.
The company’s exploration and pre-development activities at its 100%-owned Julimar Nickel-Copper-Platinum Group Element (PGE) Project, located 70km north-east of Perth in Western Australia, are continuing across the more than 30km long Julimar Complex.
Chalice reports that 4 diamond drill rigs are currently drilling across the 10km long Hartog-Dampier strike length and 3 rigs continuing resource definition drilling at the Gonneville PGE-Ni-Cu-Co-Au Deposit.
2D seismic over the Hartog area has highlighted the potential plunge extension of the Gonneville Intrusion 1.6km north-west of the Resource and 500m below surface.
The interpreted position is to the west and below Hartog drilling to date and given the sulphide-rich nature of the Gonneville Intrusion, this extension could significantly expand the deposit to this point and potentially beyond (open to the north).
this extension could significantly expand the deposit to this point and potentially beyond (open to the north)
Chalice notes that step-out drilling to validate the seismic interpretation will commence shortly.
Chalice is continuing work on the Gonneville Scoping Study, based on the updated Mineral Resource Estimate (MRE) completed in July 2022. The study is evaluating a smaller ‘starter mine’ concept as well as a larger bulk mine concept, ensuring that a broad range of options are appropriately scoped.
The 100%-owned Julimar Nickel-Copper-PGE Project is located 70km north-east of Perth in Western Australia and is surrounded by world-class infrastructure.
Gonneville is located on private farmland at the southern end of the newly discovered more than 30km long Julimar Complex. In November 2021, Chalice defined a tier-1 scale, pi constrained maiden MRE for Gonneville.
The maiden Resource confirmed Gonneville is one of the largest recent nickel-copper-PGE sulphide discoveries worldwide, and the largest PGE discovery in Australian history – demonstrating the potential for Julimar to become a strategic, long-life ‘green metals’ asset.
In July 2022, the Resource for Gonneville was updated to 350Mt @ 0.96g/t 3E, 0.16% Ni, 0.10% Cu, 0.015% Co (~0.58% NiEq or ~1.8g/t PdEq ).
The Gonneville Resource is interpreted to cover just 7% of the interpreted Julimar Complex strike length, with initial large scale exploration activities underway over the remaining strike length. As such the region is considered ‘highly prospective’ for further orthomagmatic Ni Cu-PGE discoveries.
Images: Chalice Mining Ltd
