Adavale Resources Limited (ASX: ADD) has progressed the initial drilling programme using reverse circulation (RC) to drill pre-collars for diamond drilling extensions at priority drill targets within the HEM2 target area of the company’s Kabanga Jirani and Luhuma Nickel Projects located within the broader East African Nickel Belt of Tanzania.
Adavale’s recently processed HEM data has highlighted some really compelling conductors that are coincident with our previously identified gravity anomalies,” Executive Director, David Riekie, said.
“This validation is very encouraging and has helped confirm the final location and selection of our priority drill targets. We are now in the process of installing RC pre-collars at HEM 2 with the view to drill three diamond drill holes, with scope to expand this number before moving the RC rig south to install pre-collars at targets being finalised at HEM 3 and HEM 4.
“We then plan to relocate the rig to HEM 7, 8 & 9 on licence ground holdings to the west. We are fortunate to have this number of high- quality targets and expect drilling and outcomes to continue throughout the December quarter.”
Initial “Target Testing” Drill Programme
The drill programme now underway is using an RC rig to complete pre-collars through the barren and weathered surface profile which is up to 100m thick before switching to a DD rig to complete the designed hole and test the target zones that are typically 300 to 400m below surface. The local drilling contractor has the necessary capability to provide the flexible combination of RC and diamond drilling rigs (together with additional rigs as required) for this initial drill campaign. The current drill programme is estimated to involve up to 8,000m of combined RC and DD drilling.
The proposed initial drill programme has been refined to initially test high-priority target areas at:
- HEM 2 and 3 survey areas (within the Luhuma extension), followed by
- HEM 4 survey area in Kabanga East, before relocating to
- HEM 7, 8 and 9 survey areas in Kabanga West (adjacent to Kabanga Nickel Limited).
The planned drill hole locations at HEM 2 are scheduled to be drilled over the coming weeks. Final drill target locations are currently being generated for HEM 3 and 4.
Final hole locations and designs are continually being refined as new reprocessed and modelled data comes to hand from our expert geophysical consultants.
This image has been processed using Xcite data collected for the HEM programme to indicate the conductive drill target area shown in Voxel format. The image models the perimeter of an intrusion (determined from gravity) enveloping a zone of high conductivity (modelled by processing HEM data) and described in the legend and shown in red.
The conductivity of the HEM target is estimated to be around 0.8 S/m and has been refined using a combination of 3D voxels and conductivity depth images (CDI’s) models.
The company’s strategy is to maintain a flexible and iterative approach in respect to the sequence and expansion of its drilling program based on information gained through field assessments of drill locations, drill results and the continual processing refinements made to the HEM survey data by our expert consultants.
As part of the current drill programme, down hole electromagnetic (DHEM) surveys are anticipated to be performed on all completed DD holes to explain the source of the individual conductors and identify potential new drill target areas.
The current drilling programme is progressing well and is scheduled to continue throughout the current quarter.h
