Estrella Resources Limited (ASX: ESR) has confirmed that Top Drive Australia (TDA) has mobilised its brand-new flagship UDR1200 diamond drill rig to the Carr Boyd Nickel and Copper project, located approximately 80km north east of the City of Kalgoorlie Boulder.
The drill rig will be commissioned to drill potential extensions to the T5 high-grade nickel and copper sulphide mineralisation.
The new UDR1200 diamond rig and auxiliary equipment are capable of drilling to depths of greater than +3000m with standard NQ rods.
The drill rig will be commissioned over the coming days. It has a high level of automation and increased safety aspects which will improve performance and operability.
Estrella Resources is targeting expansions to the T5 mineralisation along strike and at depth, initially testing an array of DHTEM plates generated from earlier drill testing. Much has been learned about the geological environment and deposition of high-grade nickel and copper sulphides.
Mineralisation is known to not always be identifiable from surface EM or DHTEM and additional drill holes will be required to test specific areas of interest. The mineralisation at T5 has thus far been located over a 600m vertical extent with a strike of approximately 400m. The aim of the drilling will be to extend the mineralised nickel and copper sulphide envelope of T5 south and at depth.
The most recent holes completed at T5 located multiple zones of nickel and copper sulphides including high grade (+4%Ni) massive nickel located in CBD057 (see ASX release dated 27 January 2022) which is open at depth and generated DHTEM plates for further drill testing.
Estrella’s team will be looking to expand the nickel and copper mineralisation at T5 with targeted deep diamond drilling,” Managing Director, Chris Daws, said.
“DHTEM has been extremely useful in targeting extensions to the high-grade massive nickel and copper sulphides discovered at T5 and there are currently multiple EM plates leading away from high-grade mineralisation that need to be tested over the coming weeks to determine their significance.
“With the brand new UDR1200 diamond rig now operating on site, we should see improvement in drilling rates. I look forward in seeing what the new rig can locate and how the results will inform our understanding of the T5 resource.”