Western Mines Group (ASX:WMG) has uncovered ‘broad’ zones of nickel sulphide mineralisation through the first new assays from its Mulga Tank Nickel-Copper-Platinum Group Elements (Ni-Cu-PGE) Project in Western Australia.
The $18.67 million market capitalisation company has reported the assays from the first two holes of its latest reverse circulation (RC) drilling program, MTRC001 and MTRC002.
According to Western Mines, the results could offer a ‘step change’ in the understanding of the geology and geochemistry of the complex and its potential to host a ‘significant’ disseminated nickel sulphide deposit amenable to ‘large-scale’ open-pit.
Hole MTRC001 intersected 162m @ 0.20% Ni, 123 parts per million (ppm) Co, 81ppm Cu, and 19 parts per billion (ppb) platinum and palladium (Pt+Pd) from 95m; and hole MTRC002 intersected 29m @ 0.24% Ni, 141ppm Co, 103ppm Cu, 23ppb Pt+Pd from 97m.
Western Mines Group Managing Director Dr Caedmon Marriott says with 5,700 samples having been sent off to a laboratory for testing, the company should start to see a flow of results come in over the next 2 months.
“The RC drilling dramatically increases the drilling density in this ‘core’ of the complex and will yield extremely valuable data in testing the lateral continuity of shallow disseminated mineralisation, as well as beginning to systematically characterise the geology and geochemistry of the system.
The results from these first 2 holes show the concept of testing the uppermost zone of shallow mineralisation is working, with broad zones of mineralisation identified in both holes. Around 50-60% of the samples from both holes showed the geochemical signature of mineralisation.
“These are positive initial results, as the program looks to test a volume of some 650,000,000 cubic metres, which could host significant nickel in sulphide”
These are positive initial results, as the program looks to test a volume of some 650,000,000 cubic metres, which could host significant nickel in sulphide — and hole MTRC001 was located in the southwestern corner of the area drilled, so mineralisation is likely not constrained to this initial area.”
The RC drill program comprised 22 holes for 7,035.5m and was designed to test the extent of the uppermost zone of shallow disseminated nickel sulphide mineralisation observed in Western Mines’ diamond core holes across the centre of the complex.
The company’s flagship Mulga Tank project lies 190km east-northeast of Kalgoorlie in the Eastern Goldfields province of the Yilgarn Craton.
Western Mines Group is a diversified minerals explorer focused on discovering ‘high-value’ gold and nickel sulphide deposits across a portfolio of ‘highly prospective’ projects in Western Australia.
As of 30 September 2023, the company had $1.872 million cash and cash equivalents at hand, according to its latest quarterly report.
Write to Aaliyah Rogan at Mining.com.au
Images: Western Mines Group
