Nickel exploration company, Estrella Resources continues to deliver the goods in its nickel sulphide hunt at its compelling T5 discovery near the historical Carr Boyd Rocks nickel mine, north of Kalgoorlie in Western Australia. Step out drilling to the north and south of the current T5 mineralised zone has intercepted more nickel-copper sulphides to grow the strike to a hefty 1.5 kilometres.
The new intercepts come on the back of a recently launched ‘phase-four’ drilling campaign aiming to grow the T5 mineralised zone and test some 3.5km of strike at Estrella’s Carr Boyd nickel and copper project.
Estrella has been running hot since the T5 discovery late last year returned a solid 13.9 metres hit going 1.07 per cent nickel and 0.39 per cent copper from 431.6m. A string of nickel and copper sulphide hits has subsequently followed.
Other intercepts from a recently wrapped-up ‘phase-three’ drilling campaign include 13.4m at 1.3 per cent nickel and 0.4 per cent copper from 392m, with a richer interval of 6.26m at 2.08 per cent nickel and 0.63 per cent copper from 395m. A thick 25.32m interval at 0.79 per cent nickel and 0.58 per cent copper from 357m was also recently intercepted.
Some 10 per cent of the new 7,500-metre ‘phase-four’ campaign has now been completed.
Estrella reports that a diamond drill hole located about 750m south of previous drilling at T5, beneath the historical Carr Boyd Rocks mine, has now intercepted 11.3m of nickel-copper sulphides.
The Carr Boyd Rocks mine churned out some 200,000 tonnes of ore at 1.43 per cent nickel and 0.46 per cent copper in the 1970s.
The company says the new intercept, in conjunction with another nearby sulphide hit, has confirmed its modelling of the mineralisation flow. Estrella believes the accumulation of sulphides should increase to the north and at depth of the latest intercept.
Step out reverse circulation drilling approximately 750m north of the T5 mineralisation has also delivered early promise with one hole intercepting a four-metre zone of disseminated to stringer nickel-copper sulphides.
Estrella says that portable XRF testing of the new hit has returned elevated nickel and copper values. Samples from the intercept have now been sent to the labs for assaying.
The company believes its geological model suggests potential for massive sulphides to form at depth in the area currently being tested.
Estrella Resources Managing Director, Chris Daws sad:“These initial results from the Phase 4 drilling campaign at our 100% owned Carr Boyd Nickel and Copper Project are highly encouraging highlighting nickel-sulphides deposited along the T5 basal contact extend to a strike length of over 1.5km. With only 10% of the program completed, it is still early days but I am excited by what this campaign has already uncovered and I look forward to updating the market on further drilling as we move forward.”
With the price of nickel trading near seven-year highs at about US$18,000 per tonne and copper close to historical highs at more than US$9,000 per tonne, punters will likely be keeping a close eye on Estrella as it continues to smash out the metres at T5. The emerging explorer could be in for a stellar end to the year if it continues to deliver nickel and copper sulphide hits at Carr Boyd.
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By Matt Birney
