Growth focused Western Australian nickel company St George Mining (ASX: SGQ) has provided an update on the drilling program in progress at its flagship high-grade nickel-copper sulphide Mt Alexander project, located in the north-eastern Goldfields of WA.
HIGHLIGHTS:
Diamond drilling of MAD180 is in progress with encouraging signs:
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MAD180 is the first of multiple deep holes being drilled to test the large conductive features identified by the magnetotelluric (MT) and audio-magnetotelluric (AMT) surveys completed across the Cathedrals Belt.
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MAD180 was collared approximately 500m to the north of known mineralisation at the Investigators Prospect and drilled towards the south, and so far has intersected:
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A mineralised ultramafic unit between 22.5m and 28.8m downhole, suggesting the potential presence of a second mineralised ultramafic belt to the north of and parallel to the main Cathedrals Belt.
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Mostly granite from 29m to 524m downhole, as predicted by the MT survey data.
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Intrusive-style rocks intercalated within a structural zone from 524m to 795m, indicating the emergence of a large intrusive network at depth.
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The intrusive rocks intersected within the hole are similar to the rocks seen around the shallow nickel-copper sulphide deposits along the Cathedrals Belt.
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Drilling of MAD180 has paused due to poor ground conditions – the remedial plan is to wedge the hole at approximately 520m downhole and to re-start drilling towards the large conductive target at depth, which remains to be tested.
Second diamond drill rig has commenced drilling:
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Drilling of MAD182, planned to a downhole depth of 700m, has commenced to test a large conductive target identified by the MT/AMT surveys between the Cathedrals and Radar Prospects.
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The conductive target is situated to the north-east of the known Cathedrals nickel-copper sulphide deposit and may represent the down-plunge extension of that shallow mineralisation.
Downhole electromagnetic (DHEM) surveys on completed holes are underway:
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DHEM surveys are currently being carried out at the holes recently drilled at the Fish Hook Prospect.
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DHEM crew to then move to Investigators to survey MAD179 and MAD180, once re-drilling is completed.
MAD180 – ENCOURAGING SIGNS AT INVESTIGATORS
MAD180 is the first deep hole designed to test the large conductive feature identified at Investigators by the MT/AMT surveys.
Mineralised ultramafic intersected at shallow depths – a potential parallel nickel belt:
An ultramafic unit was intersected in MAD180 between 22.5m to 28.8m downhole. Oxidised nickel-copper sulphides were observed between 28.65m to 28.8m. The mineralisation was situated on the basal contact with granite – a textbook setting for nickel sulphide mineralisation across the Cathedrals Belt.
The drill hole collar for MAD180 is approximately 500m to the north of the existing shallow nickel-copper sulphides intersected in the Cathedrals Belt. The intersection of a shallow mineralised ultramafic unit in this location suggests the potential presence of an ultramafic belt that lies parallel and to the north of the Cathedrals Belt.
Potentially this parallel belt could also dip to the north – as seen with the Cathedrals Belt where mineralised ultramafic commences at 30m below surface and dips to the north at approximately 40 degrees.
Further exploration will be planned to investigate the extent of this parallel ultramafic unit and whether it has the potential to host significant nickel-copper sulphide mineralisation.
