Estrella Resources Limited (ASX: ESR) has uncovered further massive nickel-copper sulphides which have returned significant assays in the first 60m southern step-out drilling at the company’s Carr Boyd project, located approximately 80km north of Kalgoorlie.
Three zones of nickel-copper sulphides were intersected over the last 170m of diamond drill hole CBDD057 with all three zones containing significant widths of massive sulphides with accompanying globular, highly disseminated, disseminated, stringer and cloud sulphides.
Highlights:
- The first 60m south step-out diamond hole CBDD057 has returned some of the best grades to date
- Upper zone – 11.62m(1) @ 0.9% Ni and 0.46% Cu with 0.61 g/t 2PGEs
- Including 0.95m @ 2.78% Ni and 0.23% Cu with 1.00 g/t 2PGEs
- Lower zone – 12.8m @ 0.96% Ni and 0.79% Cu with 0.85 g/t 2PGEs
- Including 1.81m @ 2.8% Ni and 0.44% Cu with 1.53 g/t 2PGEs · Including 0.7m @ 4.30% Ni and 0.16% Cu with 1.88 g/t 2PGEs
- Confirmed new zone – 3.7m(1) @ 1.76% Ni and 0.66% Cu with 1.10 g/t 2PGEs
- Including 0.7m @ 3.35% Ni and 0.63% Cu with 1.00 g/t 2PGE
In what is fast becoming a common theme, Estrella Resources is continuing to unearth more nickel at Carr Boyd and these latest results are some of the best nickel assays that we have received to date,” Estrella Managing Director, Chris Daws, said.
“Our team is getting a very good understanding of the Carr Boyd geological setting with the results of CBDD057 demonstrating our ability to unlock further prospective mineralisation. We have made numerous massive nickel and copper sulphide intersections with only a very small portion of the basal contact area tested.
“As we progress the drilling towards Christmas and New Year, I can only get more excited about what we may uncover next for our shareholders, I look forward to reporting any significant updates.”
The Phase 4 RC drilling has enabled the Company to trace the basal contact some 2km to the North of T5 towards the Broonhill sulphide discovery, completing some 4,600m in the last 8 weeks. There is currently a significant delay in the return of assays from the laboratories, in excess of 10 to 12 weeks.
The company is using this lag in assay return to allow for the upgrade of the RC capability on the current rig, a process which will take approximately one week. This will involve a new booster for increased air to run a larger hammer and a number of other efficiencies to increase rig production. The rig is currently tagging the basal contact between 100m and 300m depth.
However, in some instances the holes are being pushed to 370m. The additional depth results in slower drill rates and the drill contractor, Topdrive Drillers Australia has heavily invested in additional equipment to facilitate more efficient drilling to this depth.
After CBDD076 intersected sulphides 325m down hole at Broonhill, additional RC holes drilled south have not reached the basal contact below this level due to the technical capabilities of the RC rig.
These additional holes will either be diamond tailed or additional RC holes drilled to follow up on the Broonhill discovery. It is expected that the rig will be capable of deeper drilling within the next few days and the Company looks forward to learning more about this new area.
The company is aiming to complete at least 25,000m of RC drilling into the Broonhill, Mossgiel and Gossan Hill Prospects during the 2021 / 2022 Financial Year.
These areas have been identified as the most prospective western basal contact areas and yet have received very little if any historical drilling. Mapping and drilling of the Carr Boyd Igneous Complex clearly shows multiple sites around the intrusion edge where sedimentary sulphides are being assimilated into the melt.
These sulphides, once in the melt have the ability to travel and to become enriched with nickel, copper, silver and PGE elements such as palladium and platinum. Geological indicators from within and outside of the intrusion show that gravity, at the time of emplacement, was essentially to the west. This means that the western basal contact is the most prospective for accumulated sulphides.
