Miramar has found significant grades of PGE following a closer look at samples from its Gidji JV in WA. Pic via Getty Images.
Mining
Re-assays of selected aircore drilling samples at Miramar’s Gidji joint venture project have yielded significant grades of platinum group elements.
This is hugely significant for the company as it indicates that the project, which hosts about 15km of strike of multiple ultramafic units such as the Highway Ultramafic that hosts the historic Scotia nickel mine and Auroch Minerals’ Saints nickel deposit, could have potential for nickel sulphide mineralisation hosted in ultramafic rocks.
Miramar Resources (ASX:M2R) noted that as part of its routine re-sampling work, samples from select aircore holes drilled under the Boorara North program were sent for re-analysis of gold, platinum and palladium.
Several significant results for platinum and/or palladium were obtained, mostly from within the western ultramafic unit, where most of the re-sampling was conducted.
Executive chairman Allan Kelly said the results were significant when determining the potential for nickel sulphide mineralisation within the Gidji project near Kalgoorlie.
“High nickel, by itself, is not a conclusive indicator of nickel sulphide mineralisation but can instead be a result of the relatively high background nickel content in the ultramafic stratigraphy and/or of lateritic weathering,” he added.
“The PGE results, however, are more suggestive of a relationship between at least some of the higher nickel and copper results and a potential nickel sulphide source.
“Given the significant strike extent of the ultramafic units present, the limited amount of previous nickel-focussed exploration and the recent PGE results, there is a high potential for nickel sulphide mineralisation within our tenements.”
Back in March, the company announced that a review of new and historical data – including aircore drilling – over Gidji had uncovered a cluster of highly anomalous nickel and copper results where the magnetic signature of the Highway ultramafic is the strongest.
The highest nickel and copper results also occur in an area of structural complexity where northeast-trending faults crosscut the earlier stratigraphy.
A calculation of the “Kambalda Ratio”, which is used to highlight potential nickel sulphides where higher values are indicative of mineralised ultramafics, for the same dataset highlighted two parallel zones of strongly anomalous nickel and copper when normalised against chromium and zinc respectively.
With the latest encouraging results, Miramar is now planning to carry out systematic resampling of all aircore holes which intersected elevated nickel and copper within the ultramafic units, and re-assaying for platinum and palladium.
In addition, the company is investigating the potential to cover nickel sulphide targets with an airborne and/or ground electromagnetic survey to assist in defining targets for nickel-focussed bedrock reverse circulation and/or diamond drilling.
This article was developed in collaboration with Miramar 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.
Mining
Mining
Mining
Mining
Mining
Mining
Get the latest Stockhead news delivered free to your inbox.
