Auroch Minerals celebrates high-grade nickel hits at Saints

Special Report: Auroch has much to be cheerful about after diamond drilling at the Saints nickel project in WA struck high-grade nickel in massive sulphide zones.

The best result from the drilling in the Saint Andrews channel was 1.25m at 3.71 per cent nickel and 0.18 per cent copper from a depth of 241.61m, located within a broader 3.68m zone grading 1.85 per cent nickel and 0.26 per cent copper.

Four diamond holes identified down-hole electromagnetic (DHEM) conductors, with Auroch Minerals (ASX:AOU) saying that two strong off-hole conductors were identified within the Saint Andrews channel near drill holes SNDD013 and SNDD014.

The remaining drill core is now being sampled and modelled in conjunction with the DHEM conductors to form the basis for hole planning for follow-up diamond drilling at Saints.

Nickel targeting is hitting the right notes

Managing director Aidan Platel says the initial results from diamond drilling is pleasing and confirms that the company is in a very nickel-rich system.

Its geological and DHEM modelling is also providing the right platform to vector in on further mineralisation and increase resources.

Saints currently has a resource of 1.05 million tonnes grading 2 per cent nickel and 0.2 per cent copper for 21,400t of contained nickel and 1,600t of copper.

“The nickel-rich results from the basal ultramafic flow, coupled with other elemental results such as Mg, have really confirmed to our technical team that the Saint Andrews channel is a very fertile channel capable of hosting significant massive nickel sulphide mineralisation at its base,” he added.

“The very strong DHEM conductors sitting just off holes SNDD013 and SNDD014 were exactly what we were hoping for, and the reason for this recent drill program.

“Where before there was a distinct lack of data to work with, we now have two very compelling drill targets for the next phase of diamond drilling as we continue to explore for that feeder channel mineralisation within the Saints system.”

3D oblique section through the Saint Andrews channel target area showing the location of the new strong off-hole DHEM conductors (red plates) and diamond drill-holes SNDD013 and SNDD014 Pic: Supplied

Two other drill holes also identified strong off-hole conductors within the T2 and Saint Andrews channels, though these will require further modelling and understanding of the geological setting prior to follow-up drill testing.

Upcoming nickel exploration work

Auroch is poised to start a reverse circulation (RC) drilling program and its accompanying DHEM surveys at the Leinster nickel project to the north next week.

This will test the Valdez prospect where recent aircore drilling returned thick intercepts of elevated nickel such as 9m at 0.41 per cent nickel from a depth of 33m, 6m at 0.37 per cent nickel from 48m, and 6m at 0.35 per cent nickel from 66m.

The company will then proceed with a RC program in early September to test the Firefly prospect within a group of four new tenements before testing the T1 and T4 targets at Saints.

Resource drilling will also be carried out at the Horn deposit to upgrade the historical resource estimate to be JORC 2012 compliant.

Other work includes follow-up diamond drilling at Saint Andrews to test the new DHEM conductors along with aircore drilling at new target areas such as the T6 target at Saints.

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.