Estrella Resources Limited (ASX: ESR) is gaining in confidence that it is on the track of a “Voisey Bay” type nickel target after encountering promising results in its latest hole at the Sir William Wallace prospect in WA.
The company told the market that a visual inspection, nickel copper sulphides have been identified in the core drilling and were first encountered from around 92m downhole in the form of intermittent cloud sulphide with occasional blebs.
Estrella CEO Christopher Daws said the mineralisation appears to be strengthening with depth, with the largest bleb of sulphide identified at approximately 102m depth.
Mr Daws said the presence of this style of mineralisation starting at approximately 60m above the target, and the host rock types, are strong encouragement and vindication of the conceptual geological model for Sir William Wallace.
The geological model is a “Voisey Bay Style” basal massive sulphide accumulation. Cloud, disseminated and blebby sulphides strengthening with depth in this location is what would be expected for this model style, Mr Daws told the ASX.
The hole started in a thin layer of soil before passing into transported gravels and lateritic material, then into saprolite and saprock (after peridotite) at 14.6m depth, and finally into pyroxenites at 48.3m. Sulphide mineralisation has mainly been identified in the pyroxenites, but also occurs in the gabbros.
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Preliminary HXRF analysis has proven the presence of nickel and copper sulphides in the mineralisation. The Company looks forward to providing further results as they come to hand, interpreted and approved for release to shareholders.
Sir William Wallace is located within the Carr Boyd Nickel Project (CBNP) and the Carr Boyd Layered Complex (CBLC).The CBLC is a 75km2 layered mafic igneous complex, which hosts several occurrences of nickel and copper sulphides. The most significant occurrence discovered to date is at the Carr Boyd Rocks mine.
The project is conveniently located, just 80km north north-east of Kalgoorlie.