Mining

Dundas Minerals identifies new targets at namesake project, drilling underway at Kokoda

Go to Lorna Nicholas author's page
By Lorna Nicholas - 
Dundas Minerals ASX DUN maiden drilling Kokoda nickel Jumbuck Albany-Fraser Orogen Western Australia

Dundas Minerals expects to complete its maiden drilling at the Kokoda gold prospect this week.

Copied

Since its ASX listing last month, Dundas Minerals (ASX: DUN) already has a maiden drilling program in progress at its namesake project in Western Australia, while an infill gravity survey has been completed at the Matilda South prospect, and one is about to begin at the North-East prospect where soil sampling is being carried out.

Dundas kicked-off the infill ground gravity survey at the Matilda South nickel-copper prospect on the 10 December and has now received final data.

The close-spaced survey aimed to provide gravity readings to enable more precise 3D modelling at depth, as well as orientation of the dense undercover bodies identified from the wider earlier survey.

Processing of the infill survey data is expected to be finalised in the new year.

Dundas has interpreted the anomalies to be similar rock types to those that host IGO’s (ASX: IGO) nearby Nova nickel operation.

This interpretation will be tested with drilling planned to begin at Matilda South within the first half of next year.

North-East prospect

Over at the North-East prospect, Dundas started a soil sampling program earlier this month. There are about 200 sample locations, with the program designed to uncover nickel, copper or gold mineralisation in the area.

Dundas expects the soil sampling program will finish mid-next month.

Additionally, a detailed ground gravity survey similar to the one undertaken at Matilda South will begin at North-East.

Data from sampling and geophysical surveys will be used to pinpoint drill targets for next year.

Kokoda and Jumbuck prospects

Meanwhile, a maiden drilling program is already underway at the Kokoda gold prospect within the project.

Six out of 15 holes have been completed, with drilling set to resume in the first week of January following the Christmas and New Year break.

Samples from the initial holes have been sent for analysis with these results anticipated in late February.

Once drilling has been completed at Kokoda, the rig will be moved to the Jumbuck nickel prospect, where 15 holes will be carried out.

Dundas managing director Shane Volk said the company was “extremely pleased” to have its inaugural drilling program underway.

“The holes – drilled to a maximum depth of approximately 150m are the first holes within our 1,200 square kilometre tenement package to penetrate the underlying bedrock, and already we’re gleaning important new information,” he said.

Drilling had initially been planned to begin at Jumbuck, but due to earthmoving equipment delays, the company started at Kokoda.

Mr Volk said the company was eager to begin receiving assay results.

The Dundas project is located Western Australia’s Albany-Fraser Orogen and believed prospective for nickel, copper and gold.