ASX-listed Estrella Resources has delivered another set of nickel and copper sulphides at its T5 discovery located at the company’s Carr Boyd project near Kalgoorlie in WA. Estrella plunged a diamond drill hole below the project and intercepted a brace of broad nickel and copper sulphide zones it says confirms the continuation of nickel-copper sulphides below the Carr Boyd mine’s old workings.
According to the company it intersected 16.96 metres of massive and semi massive nickel copper sulphides from 193.3m in the main zone and 1.32m of semi massive to matrix nickel copper sulphides from 242.9m in the middle zone.
Drilling of the lower zone also coughed up sulphides with 12.91m of semi-massive, matrix and disseminated nickel copper sulphides unveiled from 256.1m beneath the Carr Boyd nickel mine.
Estrella’s latest play at Carr Boyd was aimed at eking out more nickel sulphides and drill testing an area of mineralisation that would assist the company and the CSIRO. The two are conducting logging and geochemical analysis work on the project in an effort to understand the relationship between the Carr Boyd mineralisation and the T5 Discovery on the Carr Boyd basal contact that sits about 1 kilometre northwest.
The nickel explorer says its latest results confirm the extension of nickel-copper sulphides below the Carr Boyd mine’s historic workings and the results coincide with downhole electromagnetic or “DHEM” responses modelled from previous drilling of the basal contact.
The Carr Boyd Mine was historically worked in the 1970’s by Western Mining Corporation prior to being shut amid plummeting nickel prices. The previous explorer identified a large fault at the mine it believed controlled the mineralisation along the region’s eastern rim of the main shoot. Western Mining Corporation predicted the mineralisation closed off at depth, however, was never able to prove its theory.
Estrella is now looking to build on this work and prove the mineralisation at Carr Boyd originates from a larger network of sulphides located on the T5 basal contact. If proven correct Estrella could have a nickel tiger by the tail.
The company aims to use an assortment of drilling, DHEM and seismic interpretation to unveil any underlying nickel and copper sulphides.
Estrella Resources’ Managing Director, Chris Daws said:“I am highly encouraged by these latest rounds of results from CBDD064 as it confirms massive sulphide mineralisation continues below the old Carr Boyd workings.”
“While our focus is very much on drilling, we are also highly focused on determining the Carr Boyd sulphide’s relationship to the T5 mineralisation found on the Basal Contact. “
“Through our ongoing work with the CSIRO, which includes logging and geochemical analysis, we are highly confident on determining this link which, if it exists, means a very exciting time ahead for investors as it is proof this large pool of sulphides may still exist at depth.”
With the price of nickel touching highs of around US$24,000 per tonne and copper hovering close to historical highs of US$9,000 per tonne, market meerkats will likely be casting a keen eye on Estrella as it continues to deliver more solid hits at Carr Boyd.
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By Matt Birney
