Estrella Resources Limited (ASX: ESR) has achieved instant success with the first diamond drill hole of the new year at the T5 target at its Carr Boyd nickel project in Western Australia.
Hole CBDD0042A intersected a broad zone of nickel, copper and PGE mineralisation on the basal contact of the T5 target area, 300m below previous hole CBDD0041 which also intersected nickel sulphides just prior to the Christmas shut-down.
Managing Director Chris Daws said both CBDD0041 and CBD0042A are located approximately 150m apart.
We have started the year with a fantastic result in the very first hole of 2021, significantly expanding the vertical extent of nickel and copper sulphide mineralisation at T5 to over 500m,” Mr Dawes said.
“Our understanding of the immediate geological environment is becoming clearer as we continue our hunt in earnest for the source of the massive nickel and copper sulphides at Carr Boyd.”
Holes CBDD0032 or CBDD0034 intersected a significant fault zone before heading into the footwall basalt horizon. The mineralised footwall was observed above in both CBDD0028 and ESR RC hole CBP0042. The interpretation is that flat faulting has shifted the mineralised contact to the east. Once the contact has been located it may be possible to extend or wedge off CBDD0029 and CBDD0031 (a further 300m north of this section) that were drilled from the west and failed to locate the contact due to the now interpreted fault off-set.
Mr Dawes said This understanding has completely reopened the opportunity for discovery of nickel and copper mineralisation over an extensive distance at T5.
The company believes there is a relationship between the faulting that has off-set the T5 Conductor (as proved by the recent drilling) and the faulting that truncated mineralisation below the Carr Boyd Mine.
Mr Dawes said that as exploration steps out to the south along T5, this relationship should become apparent.
A crew is now on site conducting downhole EM surveys on holes CBDD0039, CBDD0041 and CBDD0042A. Results will be announced once they have been interpreted together with 2020 DHTEM results. CBDD0043 has been collared and is aimed at finding the eastern off-set of the T5 Contact well below CBDD0028. If this contact is located then another hole will be collared to follow up either above or below this position to better define the extent, followed by further DHTEM.
Mapping of the Carr Boyd Intrusive Complex will continue, with mapping to locating several sulphur sources in close proximity to the basal contact position of the intrusion and a regional round of drilling will be considered based upon the results.
