Western Mines Group (ASX:WMG) reports broad zones of nickel sulphide mineralisation from the first four holes of its phase-five drilling program at the Mulga Tank Project in Western Australia.
All four holes returned significant nickel intercepts with elevated copper and platinum group elements (PGEs). MTRC080 delivered 235m @ 0.28% nickel (Ni), 134 parts per million (ppm) cobalt (Co), and 228ppm copper (Cu) from 83m, including multiple ‘higher-grade’ zones.
The hole contained several shallow intervals exceeding 0.40% Ni, with highlights of 10m @ 0.57% Ni from 84m and 17m @ 0.43% Ni from 177m, including 2m @ 0.94% Ni and 377ppm Co from 192m.
MTRC082 returned 213m @ 0.28% Ni, 128ppm Co, and 96ppm Cu from 87m, with ‘higher-grade’ zones including 3m @ 0.64% Ni and 259ppm Co from 105m, and 15m @ 0.42% Ni and 169ppm Co from 152m.
Managing Director Caedmon Marriott says the results demonstrate robust sulphide mineralisation in the central-eastern portion of the complex.
“Phase-five assay results are now starting to flow through, and it’s good to see these first four holes are all mineralised. MTRC080 and MTRC082, in particular, show some robust sulphide mineralisation,” Marriott says.
“MTRC080 returned multiple shallow zones over 0.40% nickel, which is one of the exploration goals we’re targeting in this phase. The hole also showed a number of intersections of higher-grade copper, up to 0.31% copper, associated with the richer sulphide zones.”
MTRC079 returned cumulative intervals totalling 146m @ 0.27% Ni, while MTRC081 intersected 154m @ 0.29% Ni, including 1m @ 1.05% Ni from 280m.
The four reverse circulation holes were designed to infill within the existing mineral resource estimate (MRE) and follow up previous drilling around holes MTRC046 and MTRC066.
Geochemical analysis confirms the host rock comprises high-temperature adcumulate dunite with magnesium oxide exceeding 46% and aluminium oxide below 0.5%. The company says this supports the potential for ‘large-volume, low-grade’ disseminated nickel sulphide deposits.
Mulga Tank hosts a JORC MRE of 1,968 million tonnes (Mt) @ 0.27% Ni, containing over 5.3Mt of nickel metal.
Western Mines Group is an Australian explorer advancing a portfolio of gold and nickel‑copper projects across Western Australia, including the Jasper Hill Gold Project and exploration assets in the Fraser Range, Mt Narryer, and Youanmi regions.
Write to JC Villarba at Mining.com.au
Images: Western Mines Group
