NickelX completes Dalwallinu magnetic survey targeting Julimar-style mineralisation
WA1 Resources managing director Paul Savich says the anomaly represents a potential iron oxide-copper-gold exploration target.
Exploration company NickelX (ASX: NKL) has completed a close-spaced magnetic survey over the Dalwallinu project in Western Australia, refining targets in areas where it is seeking Julimar-style nickel-copper-platinum group elements (PGE) mineralisation.
The detailed drone survey covered the entire Barra Barra mafic and ultra-mafic intrusive target with 50-metre spaced flight lines oriented east-to-west at a sensor height of 40m above ground.
A total of 771 line km of magnetic data was obtained over the project area and is reported to represent a “far superior product” to previous regional magnetic data collected for target delineation.
NickelX is now set to commence infill soil sampling programs on 50m by 50m grids to refine and extend the targets.
Ground geophysics will also be carried out, while a maiden drilling program will test priority electromagnetic and geochemistry targets.
Discussions with private landowners are currently underway to enable the start of planned exploration.
Preliminary interpretation
NickelX said preliminary interpretation of the new magnetic data indicates the Barra Barra greenstone belt intrusive being targeted for nickel-copper-PGE mineralisation represents a folded tabular body, either originally a dyke or a sill.
“The body appears to be tightly folded, with a western antiformal structure plunging steeply to the north in the west of the tenement, and a shallowly north plunging synformal structure in the east of the project,” the company reported.
“Overlaying auger geochemistry data onto the new magnetic data highlights an apparent intrusive body horizon just outboard and bordering the main folded magnetic strata, which is anomalous for nickel-copper-PGE.”
Four areas with anomalous metal values will be targeted for follow-up exploration.
Underexplored greenstone belt
The Dalwallinu project is situated on 86 sq km of accessible private farmland on the underexplored Barra Barra greenstone belt in the emerging West Yilgarn.
The area is host to several recent nickel-copper-PGE discoveries including Chalice Mining’s (ASX: CHN) world-class Julimar project.
Recent geochemical and geophysical work programs evaluated by NickelX have identified priority nickel-copper-PGE targets over a strike length of 6km, which will be followed up by further geophysics and drilling.