Auroch Minerals just can’t stop hitting nickel sulphides at its Leinster project in WA’s northern Goldfields.

Auroch Minerals (ASX:AOU) has received assays for nine RC holes and one diamond hole from a 14-hole 3400m reverse circulation drilling program.

The company’s drillers struck similar ultramafic style mineralisation at its Woodwind and Brass prospects to the north of the existing Horn target.

A series of disseminated sulphide hits followed up an earlier diamond drill hit of 72m at 0.46% nickel, including:

  • 8m @ 0.45% Ni from 19m (WDRC001)
  • 5m @ 0.30% Ni from 66m & 4m @ 0.30% Ni from 80m (WDRC004)
  • 7m @ 0.40% Ni from 52m (WDRC005)
  • 2m @ 0.50% Ni from 30m (WDRC007)
  • 1m @ 0.56% Ni from 159m (WDRC008)
  • 1m @ 0.45% Ni from 41m (FFRC004)
  • 4m @ 0.30% Ni from 251m (HNDD011)

Importantly, the disseminated nickel sulphide intersections at Woodwind and Brass indicate the potential of the prospects to host major discoveries in what is a world class nickel district, where similar mineralisation provided a pathfinder for major nearby nickel orebodies such as BHP’s Mt Keith, Leinster and Rocky’s Reward mines.

Auroch Managing Director Aidan Platel noted downhole electromagnetic surveys had identified two walk-up targets also for drilling to begin later this quarter at the Leinster project.

“This new round of assay results from the recent drilling at the Leinster Project further highlights the high prospectivity of the recently-identified trend of fertile ultramafics to the north of the known shallow high-grade nickel sulphide mineralisation at the Horn Prospect,” he said.

“(They) justify follow-up exploration efforts as we attempt to vector in on potential new discoveries of significant nickel sulphide mineralisation.

“The two DHEM conductors identified by the first phase of drilling provide high priority walk-up drill targets that we will test with our next drilling campaign at Leinster planned for later this quarter.”

Nepean Deeps drilling to start this week

While it is seeing undeniable success in early works at the Leinster project, Auroch is exploring far and wide, including at the historic Nepean nickel mine in the Kambalda nickel district.

It is the first drill drive at the Nepean Deeps prospect, located beneath historic workings at the mine which produced 32,202t at a classic high Kambalda/Kalgoorlie grade of 2.99% nickel between 1970 and 1987.

The program will test for potential extensions of the high grade mineralisation at Nepean, which was shut at a time when nickel prices had sunk to US$4000/t, around 20% of the current LME price.

The mine is believed to have geological similarities to Western Areas’ 1200m deep, 100,000t Flying Fox mine at Forrestania.

Assays from regional drill targets around Nepean are also due over the next 3-4 weeks, while Auroch is also getting ready to drill the high priority Ragless Range zinc target at the Arden project in South Australia.

An RC drilling program has been planned with the explorer only waiting on approvals to begin.

 

 

 

This article was developed in collaboration with Auroch Minerals, a Stockhead advertiser at the time of publishing.

 

This article does not constitute financial product advice. You should consider obtaining independent advice before making any financial decisions.

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