Galileo Mining (ASX: GAL) has closed out 2024 with a bang, delivering promising assay results from its aircore drilling campaign at the Mission Sill prospect, part of its Norseman project in Western Australia. The campaign unearthed thick zones of platinum group elements (PGE) mineralisation, underscoring the prospectivity of this underexplored slice of the Norseman Greenstone Belt.
Norseman project location map with a selection of mines, resources, and infrastructure in the region.
Striking PGE Gold
Galileo’s Managing Director, Brad Underwood, described the results as "exciting," emphasising their significance in delineating new deposits in this fertile mining region. "Assays from the drill campaign at our Mission Sill prospect show widespread palladium and platinum mineralisation," Underwood said, adding that further sampling and a follow-up drill program are scheduled for early 2025.
Key highlights from the assay results include:
- NAC470: 32m at 0.44 g/t 3E (palladium + platinum + gold) from 16m, including 8m at 0.64 g/t 3E.
- NAC471: 40m at 0.33 g/t 3E from surface.
- NAC479: 8m at 0.54 g/t 3E from 36m, including a stellar 4m at 0.85 g/t 3E.
- NAC501: 12m at 0.37 g/t 3E from 24m.
These results are not just numbers; they signal the potential for significant PGE resources near Galileo’s established Callisto deposit, located just 8km away. Callisto itself is a standout discovery, with an initial resource estimate of 17.5 million tonnes at 1.04 g/t 4E (palladium, platinum, gold, and rhodium) alongside nickel and copper credits.
Geological Context and Next Steps
Callisto deposit and prospective geological trends at Galileo’s Norseman project.
The Mission Sill is an intriguing target. It shares the same ultramafic host rocks as Callisto and extends along a 12km strike. Galileo’s recent drilling focused on just 3km of this trend, targeting basal and upper contact zones of the sill complex. Encouragingly, 33 of the 157 holes drilled returned anomalous PGE results, defined as exceeding 0.2 g/t 3E over a 4m composite interval.
Further assaying of anomalous zones will now zero in on individual metre intervals, including tests for rhodium—a high-value but elusive PGE. The follow-up campaign planned for Q1 2025 will involve infill drilling on high-priority areas and broader step-outs along the 12km trend.
The Big Picture
The Norseman project, fully owned by Galileo, spans 255 square kilometres and boasts a rich geological pedigree. Besides PGE, the region is prospective for nickel, copper, and cobalt. Galileo’s work here is complemented by its joint ventures in the Fraser Range, home to the world-class Nova-Bollinger nickel-copper-cobalt deposit.
The Mission Sill results serve as a reminder of the Norseman project’s potential to deliver on multiple fronts. As Galileo sharpens its exploration tools, the market will be watching for more clues that Norseman could host not just one, but a suite of world-class PGE-nickel-copper deposits.
With assay results in hand and the drills poised for action, Galileo is setting the stage for a busy and potentially transformative year in 2025.
