Azure Minerals extends nickel-copper zone at its Andover project

Nickel exploration company Azure Minerals has confirmed a 200m strike length for sulphide mineralisation at its Andover project in WA.

The extension follows recent drilling by Azure Minerals (ASX:AZS) at its Andover project over Christmas that has revealed extensive sulphide mineralisation for nickel and some copper.

The drilling for eight holes confirmed Andover’s massive sulphide mineralisation extends along a strike length of more than 200m of the 1,050m long anomaly and down-dip at the VC-07 prospect in WA’s West Pilbara region near port Hedland.

Assay results from drill hole ANDD0007 at VC-07 included 1.5m at 2.07 per cent nickel and 1.39 per cent copper from 261m.

The drill hole was the first step-out hole at VC-07 and targeted conductor plates 120m along strike and to the west-northwest of three previous drill holes at the project.

The overall mineralised interval returned a broad 27.6m at 0.8 per cent nickel and 0.32 per cent copper from 402m.

The company said it believes the recent drilling expanding both the along-strike and down-dip extents of the nickel-copper sulphide mineralisation highlight the potential for a ‘substantial mineralised system’ at the VC-07 prospect.

Azure Minerals extends nickel-copper zone at its Andover project — Cross-section of Azure Minerals’ VC-07 prospect in its Andover project showing drilling hits for nickel. Image: company supplied

Multiple zones of Nickel-copper intersected

Another drill hole, ANDD0014 intersected a 21.5m-wide mineralised interval containing multiple zones of nickel sulphide and some copper mineralisation from 455.3m.

Two zones of mineralisation were intersected in drill hole ANDD0015, an upper 2.9m-wide zone of massive, matrix and disseminated mineralisation from 368m, and a broad zone of semi-massive, matrix and heavily disseminated sulphides extending 18.5m from 432m.

The company also carried out reconnaissance drilling on the shallow and potentially extensive nickel sulphide mineralisation at its recently discovered VC-23 prospect.

Azure Minerals plans further drilling and FLTEM survey

Azure Minerals has now completed 10 drill holes for a total of 4,266m at its VC-07 prospect that has identified a body of nickel mineralisation that remains open along strike and at depth.

Downhole and surface geophysical surveys are underway at VC-07 and VC-23 to better define additional drilling targets.

The exploration company is continuing with its 30,000m drilling program for its Andover project to finalise a resource definition for the VC-07 mineralised ore body.

A fixed-loop transient electro-magnetic (FLTEM) survey is soon to be carried out at the VC-23 prospect to identify along-strike and down-dip mineralised extensions.

Azure Minerals has a 60 per cent stake in Andover, and the balance is held by Creasy Group.