A fourth phase auger drilling has begun at WYX’s Bulga project. Pic via Getty Images.
More nickel-copper-PGE targets confirmed at Bulga as Western Yilgarn moves into Phase 4
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- Completion of Phase 3 drilling sees another 1,338 holes drilled and new targets defined
- Phase 4 auger drilling under way, with maiden 5,000m AC/RC campaign on the cards
- Application lodged for 160% increase to Boodanoo project
Special Report: Phase 3 auger drilling and mapping has identified 24 new targets at Western Yilgarn’s Bulga project in WA, including 13 new targets for nickel-copper-PGE mineralisation and 11 new lithium-caesium-tantalum (LCT) targets.
Western Yilgarn’s (ASX:WYX) 477km2 Bulga project is in a fast-developing exploration region for critical minerals and just 50km from Gold Fields’ Agnew operation, and down the road from BHP’s (ASX:BHP) Leinster and Mt Keith world-class nickel mines.
It’s also 60km north of prolific lithium deposits such as Delta Lithium’s (ASX:DLI) 12.7Mt Mt Ida project and 90km south of Liontown Resources’ (ASX:LTR) 156Mt Kathleen Valley lithium development mine.
Phase 3 fresh targets
New targets have been discovered across a 9km trend on ~500m spaced lines, with holes 100m-200m apart, intercepting a highly fertile ultramafic belt which WYX believes has the potential for nickel-copper-PGE mineralisation at depth in fresh rock.
A total of 13 targets have now been prioritised by WYX and two priority targets – N1 (6km strike) and N4 (~3km strike) are both open to the south at the company’s recently granted E36/01066 permit and close to the highly prospective Ida Fault and Holmes Dyke junction.
Extensional drilling has now begun across the N1 and N4 anomalies where up to 954ppm nickel, up to 295ppm copper and PGE mineralisation were discovered back in September last year.
An additional 11 LCT pegmatite targets have been identified across the tenure and will add to the upcoming drilling campaigns.
Phase 4 auger drilling is also under way at the newly granted permits with the southern extension earmarked as a priority for nickel-copper-PGE targets.
“We are encouraged by our exploration results to date including this confirmation of our key targets within the project area,” WYX chair Peter Lewis says.
“The latest round of auger geochemistry is infill-focused and designed to provide greater clarity of the highly encouraging first round of results that we achieved from a far broader grid pattern. WYX remains focused on best-in-class exploration across its portfolio of strategic exploration projects including Bulga, Julimar West and Boodanoo.”
Boodanoo expansion
WYX has applied to increase the tenure of its Boodanoo project – to the west of Bulga – by 160% after the Phase 2 infill program defined a 2km-long LCT pegmatite.
If approved, the tenement package will total ~130km2, where the explorer believes the ground holds highly prospective gold, nickel, copper and PGE targets that can add to the early discovery success showing LCT pegmatite zones.
“To build on the early success at Boodanoo, we will soon remobilise to further investigate the zone, but now with an opportunity to expand exploration activities into the Boodanoo Northeast tenement,” Lewis says.
This article was developed in collaboration with Western Yilgarn, 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.
