Impact intersects visible sulphides at Little Broken Hill Gabbro

Impact’s maiden diamond drilling program at the Little Broken Hill Gabbro and Red Hill prospects is off to a great start with the intersection of visible sulphides.

Notably, the identification of disseminated to blebby and vein sulphides confirms the potential for the basal ultramafic unit of the LBHG to host a significant massive sulphide deposit and/or a platinum group element-dominant low sulphide deposit.

Impact Minerals (ASX:IPT) adds that weak disseminated sulphide has been identified over extensive widths at Red Hill, which remains open down-plunge to the northeast.

Both prospects are located within the Broken Hill project in New South Wales.

“It is great to get a first look at the high tenor PGE dominant mineralisation at the base of the Little Broken Hill Gabbro,” managing director Dr Mike Jones said.

“The textures indicate the mineralisation is directly associated with magmatic processes at the base of the host ultramafic unit and which have the potential to form a massive sulphide deposit in the right trap such as a basal channel structure as we have already discovered at Platinum Springs.

“We believe that such a channel may be close by and we look forward to getting a down-hole EM survey underway to identify possible targets for massive sulphide as quickly as possible.

“A down-hole survey is also planned at Red Hill where fine disseminated sulphide has been recognised in many places in the core and to determine if massive sulphide could be present below the base of the intrusion which has been faulted off.”

Assay results are due in late July to early August due to the substantial backlog at Australian laboratories.

The company is also planning follow-up drill programs while assays from drilling at Apsley are expected over the coming weeks.

Little Broken Hill Gabbro and Red Hill

Impact’s latest drilling results appear consistent with previous drilling results that established that PGE-rich mineralisation at the Rockwell prospect within the LBHG is generally sulphide poor, though the company noted that this was based solely on visual observations of the drill core.

It added that its proprietary ratio for PGE exploration does indicate that PGEs are present in the ultramafic though this is again calculated on less accurate spot readings of the diamond core.

The company also believes that larger basal Kambalda-style channels that host massive sulphide mineralisation may be present at the base of the LBHG.

A down-hole electromagnetic survey will be completed at Rockwell and consideration given to a high-powered ground EM survey over much of the very poorly explored LBHG to also search for significant conductors.

Over at Red Hill, drilling has indicated that the targeted intrusion likely has a shallower northeast plunge that remains open at depth rather than its initial interpretation that the intrusion was very steeply dipping.

This article was developed in collaboration with Impact 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.