Mining

Caravel Minerals launches work at recently permitted Toolbrunup nickel-copper-PGE project

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By Robin Bromby - 
Caravel Minerals ASX CVV airborne electromagnetic survey Toolbrunup

Caravel Minerals预计在月底会有航空电磁调查结果。

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While pressing ahead with its flagship copper project in Western Australia, Caravel Minerals (ASX: CVV) has also started work at its new Toolbrunup ground, where its looking to discover a potential large nickel-copper-platinum group elements (PGE) target.

Also located in WA, Toolbrunup contains a magnetic anomaly “very similar” in size, character and age to the Gonneville intrusive where Chalice Mining (ASX: CHN) is exploring its large and headline making nickel-copper-PGE Julimar discovery.

“Julimar also has similar reported levels of anomalous geochemistry within the surface weathering profile, which is a further indication of the prospectivity of the Toolbrunup project area,” the company noted in January when announcing the licence had been granted.

To kick-off exploration, Caravel has begun an airborne electromagnetic (AEM) survey over a 15km-long target.

Project on cleared farmland, close to infrastructure

The survey is targeting nickel-copper-PGE sulphide systems which may be identified directly as conductive anomalies by the AEM.

Toolbrunup was granted a five-year exploration licence in January.

The project is between Tambellup and Gnowangerup in southern WA and covers 114sq km of mostly cleared farmland that is close to infrastructure.

Toolbrunup is based on a previously unrecognised mafic sill or dyke structure located in the far south of the Southwest Yilgarn Terrane which was identified by Caravel after reviewing airborne magnetic survey data.

The magnetic structure is approximately 15km long, but has no surface exposure due to surface weathering and shallow cover.

Previous geochemical sampling showed “significant” anomalies for both nickel, copper and platinum over the magnetic anomaly, the company has said previously.

Area never been tested by drilling

Caravel managing director Steve Abbott says the AEM survey technology is ideal for mapping the bedrock geology and can detect sulphide-hosted mineralisation directly.

“AEM surveys are successfully being utilised to identify new priority targets for nickel-copper-PGE exploration in other parts of the Southwest Yilgarn Terrane,” he noted.

The Toolbrunup magnetic anomaly was identified from a regional airborne magnetic survey flown by Caravel last year.

The area has never been tested by drilling.

The helicopter survey will be flown on 200m-spaced lines over the 15km target.

Work is expected to begin today and is scheduled to completed by mid-March, with results available by the end of the month.

“The company will determine the next phase of work on the project based on any target areas that may be identified,” Caravel explained.