Estrella Resources is getting close to joining the dots at its revived Carr Boyd nickel project in the Goldfields after it hit 16.35 metres of disseminated to highly disseminated nickel-copper sulphides 75m below one discovery and 65m above another. The upper discovery previously returned 20.1m at 1 per cent nickel and 0.7 per cent copper and the lower discovery came in at 8.05m @ 0.8 per cent nickel & 0.5 per cent copper – assays are pending.
Estrella recently took over leases surrounding and taking in the old Carr Boyd Rocks nickel mine near Kalgoorlie.
The mine was mothballed 44 years ago and has been enjoying something of a resurgence since last year when Estrella discovered massive nickel sulphides about a kilometre from the old workings.
Estrella said wedge holes were currently being drilled and visual sulphide mineralisation estimates from one hole include highly disseminated widths of 0.22m and 4.3m, giving visual sulphide estimations of 20 per cent.
A second drill rig at the company’s T5 discovery has now completed five reverse circulation pre-collars.
Estrella says new structural mapping and core reclogging has led company geologists to a better understanding of the geophysical responses modelled to date.
Estrella Resources Managing Director, Chris Daws said: “Closer spaced drilling has revealed that areas that have poor downhole electromagnetic (DHEM) results do contain nickel sulphides.”
Estrella’s phase 3 programme at T5 is designed to identify additional mineralisation adjacent to the current intercepts that may not have provided a sufficiently large EM result albeit the company says nickel mineralisation may still exist in those areas.
At this stage the length and plunge of T5 remains unknown and the plan in the September quarter is to help define the controls on mineralisation utilising step-out drilling.
There are currently two drill rigs on site.
Carr Boyd Rocks was discovered and developed by Golden Mile gold miners Great Boulder and North Kalgurli Mines in 1972 and over three years, produced 210,000 tonnes of ore at 1.44 per cent nickel and 0.46 per cent copper before shutting down after the nickel price collapse of the time.
WMC Resources took over Great Boulder, mainly for its water quota on Kalgoorlie’s Golden Mile and briefly reopened Carr Boyd again during a low nickel price environment.
It was then taken over by Pacminex who found new targets and then Defiance Mining that was run by irrepressible Kalgoorlie identity, Aiden Keogh. Defiance took it over in 1987 and in the next three years dewatered the shaft and also explored regionally for platinum group elements.
Carr Boyd passed through several other companies and in 2018 Estrella acquired the area and nailed the massive sulphide hit last year, breathing new life into the project.
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