Octava Minerals Ltd (ASX:OCT) has commenced exploration at the Yallalong Ni-Cu-PGM project in Western Australia, with partial funding provided by the CSIRO Kick-Start programme.
CSIRO Kick-Start is an initiative that provides funding and support for innovative Australian start-ups and small businesses to access CSIRO’s research expertise and capabilities to help grow and develop their business.
The collaboration with CSIRO will utilise statistical and machine learning models from the pre-soil survey stage (for improved sampling campaign design) through to the final stage of interpretation of geochemical analyses, using a single framework for integrating landscape context throughout the exploration process. This research aims to better define areas of interest and subsequently, exploration targets at Yallalong.
A challenge for explorers in settings with varying landscape types is defining what is anomalous chemistry in their samples. Understanding the background chemistry is essential, but problematic, because survey sample designs are commonly focused on areas of interest.
The ability to optimise sample collection to assist with targeting, while collecting a qualitative and representative background signature with minimal additional effort, is very impactful and will provide step-change improvements for Octava’s exploration programs at Yallalong.
Yallalong is prospective for gold associated with structures related to the Darling Fault and Ni-Cu–PGM mineralisation related to mafic – ultramafic intrusions. The project has a similar setting to the Proterozoic craton edge Ni-Cu-PGM mineralisation, such as the Chalice Julimar discovery. The mafic intrusions at Yallalong have not been explored in any detail but have returned significant Ni-Cu- PGM and Sb geochemistry.
It is great to be collaborating with Australia’s premier science agency, CSIRO, to use technology to improve our exploration targeting for critical metals at Yallalong. By applying machine-learning to landscape domaining, sampling design, and soil sample data interpretation, we can reduce our search space and decrease our on the ground impact,” Managing Directorm Bevan Wakelam, said.
CSIRO Kickstart Programme
The CSIRO Kick-Start programme is an initiative for innovative Australian start-ups and SMEs, helping businesses overcome some of the barriers to pursue R&D activities, by providing an end-to-end facilitation service, including:
- help with articulating your research question
- matched funding support to improve the affordability or expand the scope of R&D services.
- connecting businesses with relevant CSIRO researcher expertise and capability
