Resource Mining Corporation (ASX:RMI) has terminated a reverse circulation (RC) drilling contract at its Liparamba Nickel Project in Tanzania in favour of a “more suitable” diamond drilling campaign.
Though the RC program was successful in identifying disseminated sulphides from 38m to 120m down-hole, there were issues with drill string recovery and the ability of the RC drill rig to reach the target depth of 150m.
As a result, the RC program has been swapped for a diamond drilling program, which Resource Mining says will ensure all holes are able to reach at least 150m in depth. It’s at this 100m to 150m range that a number of audio-frequency magnetotellurics (AMT) and versatile time domain electromagnetic (VTEM) anomalies were previously identified.
“We are very encouraged by the initial results,” CEO Andrew Nesbit says.
“Diamond drilling will provide a more reliable drilling methodology…”
“We found RC drilling was insufficient to reach the intended depths of the defined targets in the given ground conditions. Diamond drilling will provide a more reliable drilling methodology and help ensure holes can reliably reach, and test, all the AMT/VTEM anomalies identified within the 100-150m depth range, as well as test deeper where warranted.”
The maiden 2,000m RC drilling program was launched in June with the aim to test for nickel sulphide mineralisation within large coincidental geophysical and geochemical mafic targets. The 12 proposed holes were designed to focus on the southern corridor of the Liparamba Project, where earlier geophysical and soil sampling work was undertaken by BHP (ASX:BHP) and Albidon.
“With the completion of the initial geophysical program and continuing exploration works at the Liparamba Nickel Project, the prospectivity of the area remains extremely high and has confirmed numerous specific targets that match the previous explorer’s interpretation,” Nesbitt said in June.
Along with the Kitai and Mbinga projects, Liparamba forms part of Resource Mining’s ‘Southern Projects’ portfolio, which consists of 5 separate tenements covering 552.47km-square. All lie along the Kabanga-Musongati-Kapalagulu trend in southeast Tanzania.
Write to Oliver Gray at Mining.com.au
Images: Resource Mining Corporation Ltd
