Auroch ramps up gold and nickel search in WA

WA-based nickel explorer Auroch Minerals has set its sights on a 3000-metre reverse circulation drill program in the historic Nepean nickel mine project area after it tracked strong anomalies from a recent ground induced polarisation, or “IP” survey.

The company said it is planning seven RC drill holes south of its 80 per cent-owned project area in the WA goldfields, hoping to build on previous exploration efforts that yielded results ranging from 3-14 grams per tonne of gold.

Auroch ran 19 survey lines over the Nepean North prospect with 16 showing chargeability anomalies that it associates with orogenic gold and nickel sulphide targets and as such are priority targets for follow-up drilling.

Management said it was sinking seven RC holes here for a total of 2200m in addition to the seven slotted in at the southern section of the Nepean project. The Nepean North holes will aim to test the peak response of the modelled IP targets for both gold and nickel sulphide mineralisation

A further 800m of RC test holes will look at three shallow gold targets in the south of the project with some drilling stepping out from earlier exciting results. The work intersected 1m at 14.05 grams per tonne gold from 67m depth and 2m at 0.85 grams per tonne gold from 78m on a mafic-ultramafic contact that Auroch said is largely untested.

Two holes on a north-eastern trend near the Lady Bell historic gold workings that showed encouraging gold results from earlier drilling efforts have also been earmarked for further examination.

The company says metallurgical test work is ongoing on the shallow high-grade nickel sulphide mineralisation uncovered near the historic Nepean nickel mine, as it matures its internal Scoping Study into a potential open-pit mining operation. According to management, test work to date has been very positive, producing a saleable nickel concentrate in excess of 10 per cent with further results available next month.

Auroch is leaving no stone unturned. Samples from pegmatite zones intersected in two earlier RC holes are being re-assayed for lithium-caesium-tantalum potential in the north of the project. Both drill holes intersected pegmatite units near where surface rock-chip samples previously yielded up to 2.26 per cent lithium oxide.

The ground IP survey has been very successful in defining anomalies in an area of Nepean that is very underexplored. The consistency and strength of the anomalies, combined with their location relative to the geology, provides compelling targets that we are eager to test with follow-up drilling.

In parallel to our exploration programmes the metallurgical test work on the known shallow high-grade nickel sulphide mineralisation near the historic Nepean mine has progressed successfully, and the final results that are due next month will be a key factor in driving the project towards potential future development

Elsewhere, the severe flooding in South Australia had delayed exploration at Auroch’s Ragless Range Zinc prospect at the Arden project has receded enough to get back on site.

It said it has finished its two planned diamond drill holes, intersecting the targeted Woodendina Dolomite at 377.2m and collecting over 200 samples taken for assaying. It is currently running down-hole radial IP surveys and expects to be finished next week.

Auroch seems determined to scour every inch of its prospects and given the neighbourhood it’s hard to argue with the thinking. With plenty of gold and nickel targets to go after and even a play at some lithium there might be plenty to get excited about if the stars start to align over the next few months.

Is your ASX-listed company doing something interesting? Contact: matt.birney@wanews.com.au