Priority assays from NickelSearch’s maiden reverse circulation drill program have returned some sweet nickel hits at its Carlingup project near Ravensthrope.

Adding further interest, the assays not only confirmed shallow semi-massive to massive nickel sulphide mineralisation, they also returned potentially significant by-product credits such as platinum group metals, copper and cobalt.

Top results feature:

  • 1m at 2.22% nickel, 0.76 grams per tonne (g/t) PGM and gold (2PGM-Au), 0.33% copper and 0.11% cobalt from 82m, and
  • 1m at 2.64% nickel, 0.67g/t 2PGM-Au, 0.18% copper and 0.06% cobalt, within intersections at the RAV-5 and RAV-4 deposits.

Importantly for NickelSearch (ASX:NIS), the results at RAV5 exposes a potential future maiden resource at the deposit.

Managing Director Nicole Duncan, who took up the lead role just this month, said the results were encouraging as the emerging battery minerals explorer continued its Aircore drilling program and started resource infill and extension drilling.

“We also have a diamond drill rig scheduled to arrive on site in mid-February to commence large diameter core drilling” Duncan added.

 

Drill results

All four holes – NIS014 and NIS015 at RAV5, and NIS029 and NIS032 at RAV4-West – returned significant intersections of:

  • 8m at 1.02% nickel, 0.55g/t 2PGM-Au, 0.18% copper & 0.06% cobalt from 48m including 5m at 1.39% nickel, 0.77g/t 2PGM-Au, 0.25% copper & 0.07% cobalt from 50m (NIS014);
  • 3m at 1.33% nickel, 0.55g/t 2PGM-Au, 0.19% copper & 0.07% cobalt from 80m including 1m at 2.22% nickel, 0.76 g/t 2PGM-Au, 0.33% copper & 0.11% cobalt from 82m (NIS015);
  • 10m at 0.67% nickel, 0.11g/t 2PGM-Au, 0.04% copper & 0.03% cobalt from 32m including 1m at 2.64% nickel, 0.67g/t 2PGM-Au, 0.18% copper & 0.06% cobalt from 41m (NIS029); and
  • 2m at 1.31% nickel, 0.44g/t 2PGM-Au, 0.14% copper & 0.03% cobalt from 56m including 1m at 1.79% nickel, 0.58g/t 2PGM-Au, 0.20% copper & 0.04% cobalt from 56m (NIS032).

Drilling at RAV4-West was designed to test for high-grade extensions of the sulphide deposit.

NickelSearch noted that NIS029 tested a gap in the central and shallow part of the deposit and had intersected a lower grade nickel halo that is a potential vector to high grade nickel sulphide channels on the footwall contact as observed at RAV8.

Importantly, the presence of PGM, copper and cobalt credits at RAV4 West and RAV5, similar to those observed at RAV8, is encouraging as they could potentially improve the economics of all development.

This article was developed in collaboration with NickelSearch, 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.

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