Galileo Mining Ltd (ASX: GAL) has identified magmatic nickel-copper-cobalt-palladium mineralisation in first assay results from aircore drilling at the company’s 100% owned Norseman project in Western Australia.
Managing Director, Brad Underwood, said the mineralisation is at shallow depth and, due to the small aircore rig not drilling through the sulphide at the bottom of hole, is open in all directions.
“The sulphide occurs on the margin of a large ultramafic intrusion which can be traced along strike over several kilometres. This is the exact setting where mineral deposits can occur and at just over 50 metres below surface the potential for further sulphides is exceptional.
“Approximately 8,000 metres of aircore drilling have been completed to date with the drill programme expected to be concluded over the coming days. Samples have been submitted to the laboratory for assaying with the majority of results expected in January.
“Follow up work on the massive sulphide prospect will include EM surveying prior to RC drill testing planned for 2022.”
The sulphide mineralisation in NAC105 was intersected on the northern side of target JD1 under alluvium and clay cover. JD1 occurs in the central position of the ultramafic Jimberlana Dyke where surface soil sampling identified maximum palladium values in soils of 0.81 g/t Pd while the maximum nickel recorded was 0.2% Ni.
Surface geochemical anomalism is associated with the outcropping Jimberlana Dyke layered intrusion. Prospective areas of the dyke to the north and south occur under shallow cover with soil sampling ineffective due to the cover material. Aircore drilling was designed to extend over these areas where cover prevented effective soil sampling.
NAC105 was drilled to a depth of 61 metres with the final metre intersecting fresh massive sulphide at the end of the hole. The host rock appears to be a mafic/ultramafic intrusion based on drill chips immediately above the sulphide. Drill holes to the south intersected ultramafic rocks and those to the north were logged as mafic/ultramafic at the end of hole.
Full laboratory assays and petrography will be undertaken to determine the metal values within the sulphides and the geological setting of the identified mineralisation.
