ASX-listed Impact Minerals has added another feather to its exploration hat acquiring the Beau permit, located just 15km north of Impacts existing Arkun project approximately 100km east of Perth in the emergent South West Mineral Field. The region has been an area of increasing interest for explorers in the aftermath of the stunning nickel-platinum group elements, or “PGE” discovery at Julimar.
The Beau permit covers a prominent oval-shaped anomaly measuring 3,000m by 1,500m sitting under shallow cover. The feature is considered analogous to the Gonneville Intrusion, which hosts the nearby Julimar nickel-PGE discovery.
The new permit complements Impact’s recently acquired Arkun tenure which covers more than 2,000 square kilometres to the south of the new acquisition. Arkun is considered highly prospective for nickel-copper PGE exploration and is surrounded by global mining giant Anglo-American’s colossal ground holding through the region.
Impact pegged Arkun earlier this year following Chalice Gold Mines palladium rich Julimar discovery east of Perth. The discovery triggered a ground-rush through the terrane as a horde of explorers followed Chalice into the region. The potential of the South West first came to the attention of the minerals sector decades ago when the quest for nickel and PGEs attracted the attention of both North American miners and PGE producers from South Africa.
The addition of the Beau permit to its portfolio cost Impact $10,000 on signing with a further $50,000 payable on grant of the permit and a 2 per cent production royalty.
Impact’s PGM quest is also on the move near Broken Hill where four decades ago Mumbil Mines, led by legendary explorer Peter Vanderspuy, discovered high-grade platinum at Mulga Springs. Vanderspuy went on to found Delta Gold in Australia and Zimplats which developed the first major PGM mines in Zimbabwe with BHP.
At the recent Impact annual meeting presentation, chief executive Dr Mike Jones pointed out that in recent years company drilling near Broken Hill had provided the highest PGM grades in Australia for the rare metals rhodium, osmium, ruthenium and iridium.
At the Platinum Springs prospect drill hits included 0.6m at 11.5 grams/tonne platinum, 25.6 g/t palladium, 1.4 g/t gold, 7.6 per cent copper, 7.4 per cent nickel and 44.3 g/t silver. Another hole hit 2.75m at 3.5 g/t platinum, 7 g/t palladium, 0.4 g/t gold, 2 per cent copper, 1.9 per cent nickel and 11.6 g/t silver.
At the recent Australian Nickel Conference Dr Jones drew an analogy between the quest at Broken Hill where Impact holds 815 square kilometres and the advancing Thunder Bay PGE-nickel-copper project in Canada which Australia’s Panoramic Minerals sold to Clean Air Metals for a cool C$9 million.
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