Latest assays from drilling at Nimy Resources’ Masson copper-nickel sulphide discovery within the Mons project in Western Australia have extended the known mineralisation and highlighted potential for a high-grade feeder source.
Eight reverse circulation holes were drilled to a depth of 240 metres to test a zone of electromagnetic (EM) conductivity.
They intersected massive and disseminated nickel-copper-cobalt and PGEs (platinum group elements) in sulphides.
Down-hole intercepts up to 45m thick included peak assays of copper to 0.69%, nickel to 0.70%, cobalt to 0.16% and PGEs (palladium and platinum) to 0.59 grams per tonne.
Drilling has extended the mineralisation at Masson to a strike length of 160m and a depth of 216m and confirmed it is sub-vertical in orientation with an interval of massive sulphide hosted in a disseminated sulphide halo.
The downhole width of the sulphidic zone is reported to increase from 10m near surface to 50m at around 200m below surface.
Outstanding prospect
Executive director Luke Hampson said the program had highlighted the “outstanding potential” of the entire greenstone belt held by Nimy.
“Our next steps are to extend the exploration at Masson with enhanced geophysical surveys and drilling, while reviewing the geology and structural components of the unexplored greenstone belt covered by the Mons project,” he said.
“We will also develop priority drill targets for orogenic gold and sulphide-hosted copper and nickel mineralisation.”
Large-scale potential
The Masson discovery was made within a new greenstone belt approximately 80 kilometres north-south by 20km east-west in an area covered by Nimy’s tenement holding.
It is mostly overlain by a veneer of colluvium, within the Youanmi Terrain of the Yilgarn Craton, and has been previously mapped as entirely granite.
The area has not been subject to historical exploration and presents significant potential for large-scale resource discovery.
Initial petrographic studies suggest the mineralisation is located on the margin of a mafic intrusion and may be partially remobilised into adjacent host rocks.
The nickel-copper-cobalt-PGE sulphide association is believed to be typical of deposits in WA such as Nova Bollinger in the Fraser Range and Savannah in the Halls Creek regions.
Nimy said further drilling and downhole EM surveys had been planned at the anomaly that extends over a length of 550m and is up to 175m wide.
