Moho Resources is forming an exploration A-Team to chase battery metals in WA

Nickel and gold explorer Moho Resources is linking up with one of WA’s top exploration teams in a new hunt for nickel and battery metals in WA.

Moho Resources (ASX:MOH) has inked an agreement with Whistlepipe Exploration, a consultancy run by geologists credited with playing key roles in a number of major discoveries including Chalice’s eye-catching Gonneville discovery.

The deal will see Whistlepipe Exploration, run by principals Morgan Frejabise and Jacob Paggi, offer geological and geophysical services across Moho’s project portfolio.

Frejabise and Paggi will bring more than 25 years of industry experience to the table, including roles with IGO and Gold Road Resources and hands in a number of major mineral discoveries including Julimar, the Rosie nickel find, the Moran discovery at the Long nickel mine and the 2Moz Bibra gold discovery currently being mined by Capricorn Metals.

Moho will also take on an exploration tenement and technical information held by Whistlepipe on the western and southern margins of the rich Yilgarn Craton and Albany-Fraser Orogen in WA, an exploration district heating up since the Julimar discovery.

The company believes the tenement and six project areas identified by Whistlepipe are prospective for nickel as well as associated battery and precious metals.

They were identified using similar concepts and targeting parameters that lead to the exceptional Gonneville PGE-Ni-Cu-Co-Au find within the Julimar mafic-ultramafic intrusive complex located on the western margin of the Yilgarn craton.

“This is a unique exploration opportunity for Moho,” Moho managing director Shane Sadleir said.

“The track record of the principals of Whistlepipe speaks for itself, given their involvement in the discovery of a number of significant mineral deposits, including the exceptional PGE-Ni-Cu-Co-Au discovery at Julimar near Perth.

“Moho is looking forward to commencing this exciting phase of exploration for nickel and associated battery and precious metals in these prospective and relatively untested provinces in Western Australia.”

Raising to support major exploration activities

Moho Resources is also restocking its coffers, raising $1.51 million in a share issue.

$1.35 million of Moho shares will be picked up at 6c by sophisticated and professional investors under Moho’s existing placement capacity in an oversubscribed placement.

Moho’s directors are also putting more of their own skin in the game, subscribing for 2.67 million new shares at the same price to raise $160,000.

“Moho is delighted with the strong demand for shares in this placement,” Sadleir said.

“The market response is a positive endorsement of the Company’s decision to expand its nickel exploration activities both at Silver Swan North and into new target areas generated by the highly credible principals of Whistlepipe Exploration.”

Moho has a number of exploration activities in the pipeline to ensure a solid flow of news through 2021 and early 2022.

Whistlepipe Exploration Agreement (nickel, battery & precious metals)

Subject to further investigations and due diligence, Moho intends to promptly commence exploration on a granted tenement and apply for exploration licences within prospective areas of the Projects.

Gravity and first pass geochemistry will take place on the granted Whistlepipe tenement in December with the aim of identifying follow-up drilling targets next year.

Non-ground disturbing exploration will also take place in other project areas over the next 12-18 months which are yet to be granted.

Silver Swan North (gold and nickel)

Moho has drilling and other exploration activities planned across its existing suite of projects as well.

RC, diamond and aircore drilling is on the cards at the nickel target at the Omrah, Wise and Duke prospects at Silver Swan North, adjacent to Poseidon Nickel’s Black Swan project.

Gravity and first pass soil geochemistry surveys are also going to be conducted on tenement applications adjacent and to the south and east of the Black Swan plant.

They are anticipated to be granted by the end of 2021, with the geochemistry and geophysics planned to quickly identify gold and nickel targets for follow up drilling.

Mining studies are also ongoing at the East Sampson Dam gold deposit to advance the project to mining.

Empress Springs and Burracoppin (gold)

Meanwhile at Burracoppin, Moho is conducting gravity and first pass soil geochemistry to outline targets to identify targets for follow up aircore drilling. At the Empress Springs gold project in Queensland Moho plans to undertake aircore and/or slimline RC drilling and groundwater sampling to follow up seven promising and diverse multi-element hydrogeochemical anomalies identified in March.

“We are looking forward to drill testing the recently identified nickel sulphide targets at Silver Swan North, as well as initiating exploration on tenement applications adjacent to Poseidon’s Black Swan Nickel Plant,” Sadleir said.

“We remain committed to advancing our promising gold projects at Empress Spring and Burracoppin and progressing the East Sampson Gold Project into production as soon as practicable.”

This article was developed in collaboration with Moho 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.