Nanadie Well drilling returns broad copper-nickel-PGE zones for Cyprium Metals
Cyprium will prioritise the area north of the Nanadie Well for follow-up geophysical and drilling programs.
Reverse circulation drilling at Cyprium Metals’ (ASX: CYM) Nanadie Well project in Western Australia has identified broad anomalous zones of copper-nickel-platinum group elements (PGE) mineralisation 1.6 kilometres north of the existing resource.
The six hole program tested a variety of exploration targets in the project area for a total of 918 metres.
Drilling along the 10 kilometre-long layered magmatic (greenstone-metasediment) basal contact returned strong intercepts which have been prioritised for follow-up work.
Best assays were 4m at 746 parts per million copper and 0.11ppm palladium from 100m; 16m at 2,325ppm copper and 0.06ppm gold from 88m, including 4m at 6,250ppm copper and 0.15ppm gold from 92m; and 68m at 2,305ppm copper, 0.09ppm palladium and 0.05ppm platinum from 36m.
Other results were 56m at 3,337ppm copper, 0.14ppm palladium and 0.06ppm platinum from 116m, including 24m at 5,002ppm copper, 1,294ppm nickel, 0.23ppm palladium and 0.11ppm platinum from 140m; 4m at 4,720ppm copper, 1,330ppm nickel, 0.28ppm palladium and 0.11ppm platinum from 68m; and 12m at 3,620ppm copper, 0.09ppm palladium and 0.06ppm platinum from 116m.
Mineralisation observed by previous operators and Cyprium consists of disseminated, stringer, matrix, semi-massive and massive sulphides – primarily chalcopyrite with lesser pyrrhotite, pyrite and pentlandite – located at or near the base of some intrusions within the complex.
Opening up potential
Cyprium managing director Barry Cahill said the results reflected the “opening up” of potential at Nanadie Well.
“After 24 months of surface mapping, geophysical surveys, drilling, assaying, interpreting data and generating a maiden mineral resource, we are seeing results which demonstrate the size and multi-metal nature of this extensive magmatic system,” he said.
“We believe there is great potential for extensions and further discoveries in close proximity to our identified resources.”
Mr Cahill said drilling opened up a further 1.6km of potential strike and the company is now planning next stage work programs to target the potential mineralised corridor.
The Nanadie Well orebody is reported to contain a maiden inferred resource of 162,000t copper, 130,000oz gold, 1.36Moz silver, 2,200t cobalt, 11,900t nickel and 6,500t zinc.