Technology minerals company Pinnacle Minerals (ASX:PIM) has confirmed a 52-hole aircore (AC) drilling program is taking place at its Tambellup East Project in Western Australia.
The company reports the program is designed to test the extent of kaolinite mineralisation and potentially define a kaolin mineral resource.
AC drilling contractor Sahara Drilling has been engaging in the 1,000m, 52-hole program with mobilisation to site on 23 March. This work is expected to take about 9 days to complete.
Commenting on the drilling program Pinnacle Minerals Managing Director Nic Matich says: “Given the unseasonably long cropping season in 2022 delaying landholder negotiations and exploration, it is pleasing to be getting back on the ground.
Whilst focused on defining a kaolin mineral resource at Tambellup, the opportunity to test for nickel mineralisation is exciting.”
The program will be conducted across a ‘large’ 1.8km-square area that has multiple bright white kaolin dams. This suggests that kaolin mineralisation is at or near the surface.
“Whilst focused on defining a kaolin mineral resource at Tambellup, the opportunity to test for nickel mineralisation is exciting”
Pinnacle reports the footprint of the drilling program comprises an area equivalent to the Hulls Resource which forms part of the Tambellup kaolin resource which has a Mineral Resource Estimate (MRE) of 12.5 million tonnes of kaolinised granite.
During the program, elevated nickel geochemical results previously discovered in 2008 by Falcon Mining (ASX:FAL) will be tested via drilling to the basement/bit refusal. Additionally, a multi-element analysis will be conducted of the end of the hole core.
Pinnacle Minerals is an ASX-listed technology minerals company focusing on kaolin, halloysite, magnetite, and batter metals projects in Western Australia and South Australia.
The company’s newly acquired Latham and Tammin Projects are adjacent to Chalice Gold Mines’ (ASX:CHN) Mid West Project, and Anglo Americans’ (LON:AAL) Southwest Yilgarn Exploration Project respectively, which have multi-element exploration potential.
Images: Pinnacle Minerals Ltd
