Galileo Mining Ltd(ASX: GAL) has received statutory approvals for diamond drilling at the Delta Blues nickel-copper-cobalt prospect in the Fraser Range region of Western Australia.
Two high priority nickel targets at DB1 and DB2 will be tested with 1,000m of drilling planned for the initial programme. A drilling start date of mid-June is anticipated with the programme estimated for completion within three weeks of commencement.
Managing Director, Brad Underwood, said several drill holes will be required to test for mineralisation at DB2 due to the large scale of the target. It is expected that at least two drill holes will be undertaken in the first round of drilling at this location.
The EM conductor at the DB1 target has been verified by an independent geophysicist as a particular conductive anomaly. Modelled conductivities fall within a range of 10,000 to 25,000 Siemens with a strike length between 800m and 900m. Depth estimates to the top of the conductor vary between 175m and 255m with the variation attributed to near surface cover effects which limit the accuracy of modelling.
One drill hole is planned at the DB1 target as a first test to determine the cause of the conductive anomaly and to pinpoint the optimum position for potential mineralisation.
The first drilling programmes at our northern Fraser Range project identified highly prospective rocks with strong indications of nickel and copper at the Lantern Prospect. Following this confirmation of prospectivity we now enter our next phase of drilling optimistic that we can generate significant drill results at the Delta Blues prospect,” Mr Underwood said.
“Our target generation work at the Delta Blues prospect has utilised high quality data sets with positive interpretations by world class geological and geophysical professionals.
“The strength of the EM conductors, and their positions on the magnetic and gravity maps, present a compelling case of the potential for mineralisation. We look forward to updating the market as drilling gets underway and as the results of drilling are received.”
Independent review of EM data from the DB1 prospect has confirmed the very high conductivity of the target model. A component of this high conductivity is attributed to near surface/cover effects which limit the ability to model the conductor depth extent. The modelled depth extent is restricted (25m to 40m) with the result that a high conductivity is required to provide a best fitting scenario between the modelled response and the observed field data. The proposed drill hole will test the source of the anomaly.
The large gravity anomalies adjacent to the EM targets at DB1 and DB2, are interpreted to represent dense material associated with mafic/ultramafic intrusive rocks at depth. The interpreted deep intrusions could be the source rocks responsible for near surface cumulate rocks with the potential to host mineralisation.
Moving loop EM surveying around the Lantern prospects continues to cover ground shown to be prospective through the drill intersection of magmatic nickel-copper-cobalt sulphides at the Lantern prospect.
The current EM programme is scheduled to continue until July with infill surveying to occur as required.
