Finding Kabanga 2.0: Adavale unearths potential 700m-long nickel sulphide zone at Luhuma

Electromagnetic (EM) surveys have identified a south westerly continuation of the EM anomaly at Luhuma Central, part of Kabanga Jirani project in Tanzania
Adavale says the modelled strike extent has been extended to a total of 700m
Preparations are being made to diamond drill test this extension

Follow-up ground electromagnetic (EM) surveys north and south of the previously conducted orientation survey at Luhuma Central have identified a continuation of the EM anomaly associated with massive sulphide mineralisation.

Adavale Resources’ (ASX:ADD) Luhuma Central prospect, within the wider Kabanga Jirani project, is along strike from the Tier-1 58Mt Kabanga deposit in Tanzania, one of the world’s largest undeveloped nickel sulphide projects part owned by BHP (ASX:BHP).

Kabanga Jirani has been the focus of a combined diamond (DD) and reverse circulation (RC) drill program designed to test a series of targets.

Recent laboratory assays confirmed that every one of the company’s first five diamond holes had intersected significant massive and/or semi-massive sulphide mineralisation with a top intercept of 7.55m at 0.96% nickel, 0.12% copper and 0.18% cobalt.

These results proved ADD with the momentum to push forward with drilling to the end of the year with results from the two most recent drillholes indicating the company is getting close to the motherlode, returning a significant increase in the MgO vector “for more primitive, hence favourable ultramafic geology.”

Ground EM highlights potential 700m strike

Adavale has now completed the detailed ground EM surveys across the entire previously identified airborne EM anomaly at Luhuma Central.

Electromagnetic surveys map sub-surface changes in electrical conductivity and are a useful tool for finding nickel and copper sulphides, which are often more ‘conductive’ (allows electricity to travel though) than the surrounding rock.

These extended surveys have now enabled anomalies to be identified and modelled over the full strike length of the Luhuma airborne EM anomaly.

The modelled plates extending across the central survey area and further to the south show an equally strong measure of conductance to the central plate, implying that the massive sulphide mineralisation intersected in the central area extends to the south.

These high conductance plates cover a strike extent of about 700m with the southern extent of the southern plate to be drill tested with a diamond drill hole planned to start shortly.

Diamond drill testing plans underway

“Our recent drilling at Luhuma Central has shown that the area to the SW is where the more primitive portion of the Luhuma intrusion is likely to be located,” ADD executive director David Riekie says.

“It is also very pleasing to see that our ground EM has demonstrated continuity into this area of the highly conductive EM plate associated with the massive and semi-massive sulphide intercepts at Luhuma Central.

“Preparations are now being made to diamond drill test this SW extension of the EM plate,” he says.

“The initial RC drill test of the coincident gravity, geochemical and EM targets identified at HEM 4 have shown these targets coincide with prospective mafic lithologies at depth.

“This is a positive outcome and justifies ongoing RC testing of this area.”

This article was developed in collaboration with Adavale Resources, 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.