Galileo Mining Ltd (ASX: GAL) is preparing to commence its next phase of drilling at the Delta Blues Prospect in the Fraser Range nickel belt in Western Australia.
The rig for the campaign is being prepared for mobilisation from Kalgoorlie. The drill contractor has informed Galileo that labour shortages have prevented an immediate start however all other preparations have been completed.
Two high priority nickel targets at DB1 and DB2 will be tested with 1,000m of diamond drilling planned for the initial programme. Two drillholes are planned at the DB2 prospect and one hole planned at the DB1 prospect as a first pass test. Further drilling will be undertaken as and where required.
The target generation process has involved EM surveying, aircore drilling, magnetic modelling, and gravity interpretation2. The combined data sets provide a strong case for potential mineralisation and drilling is designed to test the prospects for economic metal content.
Managing Director, Brad Underwood, said ongoing EM surveying in the Fraser Range is now focussed on a highly prospective area along strike of the Lantern East and Lantern South prospects where previous drilling intersected 41m @ 0.19% nickel and 0.14% copper.
EM surveying is a key technique used in undercover nickel exploration as massive nickel sulphide deposits often exhibit a strongly conductive signature. The prospective geology of the Fraser Range means that any conductive anomalies identified in the surveying will represent high priority nickel sulphide targets.
The Delta Blues Prospect is an exciting prospect with extremely conductive targets suggesting the presence of sulphide mineralisation,” Mr Underwood said.
“We are exploring for the next generation of undercover nickel deposits with no surface expression and the only way to check for metal content is by drilling.
“Our shallow air core drilling demonstrated that we have the right rock types in the area, and we are now ready to test the modelled conductors to determine whether they are related to nickel and copper.
“Subsurface conductors can have several sources and it is up to the drill rig to establish what we have in the ground. We look forward to getting on the ground and will update the market when drilling has commenced.”
Galileo’s programme of electro-magnetic (EM) surveying in the Fraser Range is currently focussing on a zone along strike of the Lantern East and Lantern South prospects.
Previous drilling at these prospects identified mafic-ultramafic intrusions with disseminated and banded sulphides. Although the metal content of the sulphides was not economic, the geology in the area is recognised as very prospective and any conductive anomaly that is identified will represent a high priority drill target. EM surveying is expected to continue through July with results available upon the completion of field work.
EM surveying is a very useful tool in exploration for nickel sulphide mineralisation due to the conductive response of sulphide minerals that are associated with nickel. However, conductive anomalies can also be caused by other sources including barren sulphides, sulphide rich sediments, and graphite bearing rock units.
