Errawarra drilling proves there’s copper-nickel at Andover West

Assays from drilling have confirmed that a copper-nickel sulphide system is present at Errawarra’s Andover West project in Western Australia’s Pilbara region.

While the assays from the two holes at Target A and Target B were generally of low tenor, multiple intercepts returned assays of more than 0.1% copper and topping out at 0.35% copper.

Despite this, the results were enough to indicate that the Andover West mafic intrusion is a fertile copper-nickel sulphide mineral system.

More importantly for Errawarra Resources (ASX:ERW), the similarity of assays in both 23EWDD001 and 23EWDD003 indicated that their mineralised intercepts are the result of the same mineralising event and that Target A and B belong to a broader overall mineralised zone rather than being two separate and discrete events.

Looking down-hole

Down-hole electromagnetic surveying on hole 23EWDD003 (Target A) reported a broad on-hole conductive source centred at 65m which coincided with the more abundant massive/semi-massive sulphides intersected in the hole along with two small near off-hole conductors identified at 35m and 53m, which are interpreted to be part of the same conductive system.

At 23EWDD001 (Target B), DHEM modelled four near offhole conductive sources which are interpreted to be associated with the individual intersected zones of heavy disseminated sulphides/stringer sulphide (mostly pyrrhotite/massive magnetite) that were logged in the hole.

Drilling also intersected pegmatite dykes and/or veins at both targets.

“It is early days, but the sulphide rich zones intersected gives us a strong platform for ongoing exploration of this copper-nickel system and its surrounds,” executive chairman Thomas Reddicliffe said.

“We have intersected the sulphides at shallow levels which leaves ample scope to explore any deeper parts to the mineralisation in the surrounding terrain.

“We remain optimistic given the nearby success that Azure Minerals has had and the depths at which it was discovered.”

Andover West is along strike and part of a mineralised trend that runs through Azure Minerals’ (ASX:AZS) Andover project where drilling returned a top intercept of 18.2m at 1.93% nickel at the Ridgeline prospect.

Project principal consultant Adrian Black, an expert in nickel sulphide exploration, added that follow-up work will seek to detect larger accumulations of sulphide which might be buried 100m to 300m below surface.

“In tandem with the sulphide search, the geologists will also seek to detect pods and lenses of lithium-bearing pegmatites within the tenement.”

Hints of lithium

While previous sampling of pegmatite outcrops in the target area did not produce any notable results, seven samples in hole 23EWDD003 reported lithium in the 100-parts per million to 160ppm range, sufficient to be considered anomalous.

Pegmatites were also intersected in both holes though they were particularly prevalent in 23EWDD001.

These pegmatite units were generally coarse-grained containing quartz, muscovite and occasionally other minerals including biotite.

Azure has identified multiple spodumene-bearing pegmatites at Andover and is in the process of determining the extent of lithium mineralisation within those tenements.

Sampling and assaying of these pegmatites identified at Andover West are underway and results will be reported when they come to hand.

Next steps

Errawarra is currently reviewing the need to test the newly identified conductor plates identified in the DHEM surveys.

It will also review VTEM and more recent FLEM survey data to identify more subtle EM responses that may represent deeper mineraliastion.

Additionally, the company will continue efforts to identify and map the full extent of pegmatite occurrences within the tenement which will be followed by field inspection and sampling.

This article was developed in collaboration with Errawarra Resources (ASX:ERW), 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.