Azure’s upcoming maiden resource for its Andover project could be a monster if the stream of high-grade nickel hits from ongoing drilling is any indication.

Infill drilling confirmed good continuity of mineralised thickness and grades, with the latest results returning assays such as 33.6m grading 1.3% nickel, 0.61% copper and 0.06% cobalt from a depth of 317.7m including 7.6m at 2.38% nickel, 0.29% copper and 0.1% cobalt from 329.7m.

Extensional drilling also returned results such as 7.1m at 2.22% nickel, 0.31% copper and 0.12% cobalt from 170.5m as well as 20.1m at 1.41% nickel, 0.69% copper and 0.07% cobalt from 298.4m.

Azure Minerals (ASX:AZS) adds that 24 new holes have intersected significant massive, semi-massive, matrix and heavily disseminated nickel-copper sulphides at VC-07. Visual observations returned 30m of nickel-copper sulphides from 519.2m, 25.2m of sulphides from 306.7m, and 20.6% of sulphides from 90.5m.

“The mineral resource drilling of the Andover VC-07 East nickel-copper sulphide deposit continues to deliver substantial mineralised intersections from both in-fill and extensional drilling,” managing director Tony Rovira said.

“The infill drilling is confirming good internal continuity of grades and widths of the mineralisation, providing support for a robust Mineral Resource Estimate.

“We expect the VC-07 East resource drill-out to be completed within the next few weeks, with final assay results likely to be delivered by early January and our maiden Mineral Resource Estimate to be completed in the first quarter of 2022.”

He added that after working on VC-07 East, the rigs will move to define the VC-07 West mineralised body where earlier drilling identified multiple sulphide-rich zones that are coincident with electromagnetic conductor plates.

“We also expect to be able to drill test some of the regional targets identified by airborne and surface electromagnetic surveying as soon as we have received the required heritage approvals,” Rovira concluded.

VC-07 East

To date, Azure has completed 111 diamond holes totalling 48,742m at the Andover project.

The company drilled the vast majority of these holes, 91, at VC-07 East while 12 of the remaining 20 holes were drilled at VC-07 West and another eight at VC-23.

Extensional drilling has confirmed the VC-07 East deposit has a 400m east-west strike length and extends from within 40m of surface to a depth of more than 500m below surface, and mineralisation remains open in several directions.

The company noted that the deepest hole to date, ANDD0111, intersected a substantial, 30m wide mineralised zone containing massive, semi-massive, matrix and heavily disseminated nickel-copper sulphide mineralisation at a depth of about 550m below surface.

Downhole surveying has indicated that sulphide mineralisation continues below this hole.

 

 

 

This article was developed in collaboration with Azure 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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