Talga Resources Ltd (ASX: TLG) has announced a highly encouraging first batch of diamond drillhole assay results from the recently completed drilling campaign at its Vittangi Graphite Project in North Sweden.
The company said that the assay results were received from Niska prospect of Vittangi project. This includes Niska North and Niska South areas.
Significant assay intercepts at Niska North includes 135.6m @ 25.75% Cg including 21.6m @ 25.92% Cg and 88.06m @ 29.83%Cg; while the significant assay intercepts at Niska South includes 30.16m @ 25.21% Cg; 33.27m @ 26.31% Cg; and 18.8m @ 27.18% Cg.
The company reported that the balance of assay results are expected within 3-4 weeks
Vittangi graphite project
The Vittangi Graphite Project is located approximately 20km east of LKAB’s iron ore mine and railhead at Svappavaara and has a total JORC resource of 12.3Mt at 25.5% graphite (Cg).
The project contains the Nunasvaara deposit and Niska prospect. The Niska prospect is located 1-2km northeast along strike of the Nunasvaara.
Diamond core drilling program is currently underway at the Niska prospect.
Drilling at Niska prospect
Telga said that the drilling at Niska focussed on two discrete areas, Niska North and South, separated by approximately 1300m that are yet to be tested.
The company reported that the drilling at Niska North covered a total strike length of 250m on 25-50m spaced drill profiles, with two sub-vertical graphite units approximately 50m apart with a dolerite-gabbro interburden.
TLG noted that the drilling at Niska North has indicated that the main hangingwall graphite unit shows some variability in true width ranging from ~18 to >80m and that both graphite units have been off-set through possible dextral faulting.
The main hangingwall graphite unit is higher grade than the narrower footwall graphite unit at Niska North.
Niska South is located 1300m south of Niska North. The company said that at Niska South seven drill holes also successfully intersected Nunasvaara-type graphite units up to 33m (true width) over approximately 100m of strike.
Significant intercepts at Niska
Talga reported that a total of 28 exploration diamond drillholes for 3046.5m were completed at Niska prospect, of which the assay results have now been received for 12 drillholes.
Talga has announced significant drill intercepts from the Niska graphite prospect of the Vittangi project.
The notable assay intercepts at Niska North includes 135.6m @ 25.75% graphite (“Cg”) (4.4-141m) (uncut, fully diluted) including 21.6m @ 25.92% Cg (4.4-26m) and 88.06m @ 29.83%Cg (51.94-141m)(10% Cg cut-off)
Notable assay intercepts at Niska South includes 30.16m @ 25.21% Cg (15.34-45.5m) (10% Cg cut-off); 33.27m @ 26.31% Cg (25.0-58.3m) (10% Cg cut-off); and 18.8m @ 27.18% Cg (37.7-56.5m) (10% Cg cut-off).
The company said that the balance of results is expected within the next 3-4 weeks.
Direct extensions of Nunasvaara
The company reported that the graphite mineralisation intercepted at Niska is understood to be direct extensions of the Nunasvaara North graphite units that host the higher-grade portions of the Nunasvaara MRE.
This is based on stratigraphy, geophysical signature, exceptional high grades (up to 44.5%Cg), similar geochemical composition, distinct lack of primary sedimentary textures found in the lower grade units, common quartz-amphibole-sulphide tension veins and frequent hydrothermal brecciation.
Future plans
Talga said that the first-pass metallurgical testwork and a JORC-compliant mineral resource estimate for Niska is expected to commence once the remaining assay results have been received.
Management statement
Talga Managing Director, Mr. Mark Thompson said: “The assay results to date confirm a major discovery and extension of the Nunasvaara graphite deposit.
Following resource work we would like to consider the whole strike of graphite at Vittangi for potential to scale up to become a significant graphite province, for Sweden and Europe, and provide the basis for a long term technology mineral industry far greater in scope than the recent PFS considers.”