Mining

Aldoro Resources hits massive sulphides at Narndee, expands regional footprint

Go to Imelda Cotton author's page
By Imelda Cotton - 
Aldoro Resources ASX ARN Wyemandoo Windimurra lithium tantalum

Aldoro’s first diamond hole in the VC1 target hit semi-massive and massive sulphides from 212.7m.

Copied

Mineral explorer Aldoro Resources (ASX: ARN) has intersected massive and semi-massive sulphides at the VC1 target within its flagship Narndee Igneous Complex project in Western Australia.

The first diamond hole into VC1 was designed to test the central strongest part of the target’s electromagnetic conductor, with the main zone of semi-massive and massive sulphides hit from about 212.7m down hole.

Aldoro said this suggests there is more complexity to the mineralisation than initially interpreted from the surface EM survey.

The company said the complexity observed in drill core was “positive” and raised the potential for multiple mineralised bodies.

“This is a very encouraging outcome, given it is the first hole drilled by Aldoro on the project and first hole drilled in the area in nearly a decade,” Aldoro noted.

Follow-up drilling will now focus on off-hole vectoring at VC1 using down hole EM surveying.

Aldoro is looking at a second diamond rig to test other anomalies at the project including VC3, East1 and VC11.

The company may also secure a reverse circulation rig to expedite drilling at VC1.

Windimurra Igneous Complex exploration permit

The positive drilling news followed Aldoro revealing it was expanding its footprint at the Windimurra Igneous Complex, which is adjacent to the Narndee Igneous Complex, near Mt Magnet in WA, after securing a deal with private company Mining Equities Pty Ltd to acquire all of the interests in neighbouring exploration permit E58/571.

Under the acquisition terms, Aldoro will pay Mining Equities an upfront cash consideration of $50,000 plus 325,000 shares once it has completed all financial, legal and technical due diligence.

E58/571 is a rare metal exploration target believed to be rich in LCT-type pegmatites and containing multiple lithium and tantalum areas of interest.

It covers 9 square kilometres and lies strategically between Aldoro’s granted tenement E59/2431 and the recently-acquired Wyemandoo permit E57/1017.

Aldoro chairman Joshua Letcher said the company will assume full ownership of the interpreted LCT fairway at Windimurra on completion of the acquisition.

“While we have been busy preparing for our maiden drilling program at the Narndee Igneous Complex, we have not lost focus on our Windimurra LCT project,” he said.

“We believe it is a company maker in its own right and by acquiring E58/471, we can ensure we control the interpreted LCT fairway on a 100% basis.”

Globally-significant complex

The Narndee Igneous Complex is a globally significant, large layered mafic-ultramafic complex covering approximately 700 square kilometres.

Historic exploration has generally focused on PGM (platinum group metals) mineralisation, while historic drill results have found good indications of nickel-copper sulphide mineralisation.

In 2008, Maximus Resources (ASX: MXR) flew an airborne electromagnetic survey over the complex which identified multiple targets, but only limited follow-up work was conducted.

Aldoro has subsequently built on this wealth of historical information, including multiple geophysical datasets.

In October, it announced it would commence major exploration work at Narndee and shift its focus to make the project its flagship development moving forward.

Windimurra acquisition

The Windimurra Igneous Complex was added to the Narndee stable in February.

It covers approximately 420sq km of the region and recent geological mapping has identified over 20 pegmatites at the boundary that are considered prospective for lithium mineralisation.

Last month, Aldoro expanded its Windimurra lithium pegmatite footprint via the acquisition of the adjacent Wyemandoo and Niobe tantalum-lithium projects near Mt Magnet.

They are considered rich in LCT-type pegmatites with high lithium, caesium, tantalum and tungsten and rock chip grades of up to 2.6% lithium oxide, 5,610 parts per million tantalum oxide and 16.5% tungsten oxide.