Drilling highlights big nickel potential at Azure’s Andover project

Special Report: Azure has wrapped up drilling in 2020 with its seventh step-out hole intersecting a wide interval of nickel-copper sulphide mineralisation at Andover.

The hole, which is also the first step-out hole on the VC-07 target within its Andover project in Western Australia’s Pilbara region, intersected a 21.7m interval of mineralisation about 120m along strike to the west of previously reported drill holes.

Notably, the sulphide-rich zone coincides with the 1,050m long VC-07 electromagnetic (EM) conductor, which Azure Minerals (ASX:AZS) says supports its potential to host more mineralisation.

Downhole EM surveying is underway to define dip and strike extensions of the conductor for future drilling.

“Azure started drilling only 10 weeks ago and all seven holes we’ve completed to date have intersected significant nickel-copper sulphide mineralisation – a remarkable 100% success rate,” managing director Tony Rovira said.

“Drilling will restart in the New Year, initially with two rigs in January and with a third rig to start in March providing a significant acceleration to our program.

“Most of the planned drilling will focus on the VC-07 conductor, but we also plan to drill other compelling, high priority EM targets.”

Azure minerals andover nickel drilling — Long section A-AA (looking North) with drill holes and VC-07 conductor plate. Pic: Supplied

He added that with nickel-copper sulphides intersected each time Azure drilled an EM conductor at Andover, there is high confidence that further discoveries will be made given that there are 12 more bedrock-hosted anomalies that have been identified.

Andover drilling and forward program

Azure has completed seven diamond holes to date at the project, all of which have intersected broad intervals containing substantial nickel-copper sulphide mineralisation.

ANDD0004, the first hole into the VC-07 conductor returned a result of 16.2m grading 2.09 per cent nickel and 0.75 per cent copper from a depth of 347.5m.

Assays are pending for the other three holes including ANDD0006, which intersected the widest mineralised zone at the conductor with an interval of more than 53m.

Drilling will resume in January with a 30,000m diamond drilling program initially with two rigs and a third rig joining in March to accelerate work.

Future drilling will test strike extensions along the modelled length of VC-07 to the west-northwest along with exploring the down-dip extensions of the sulphide mineralisation.

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.