Galileo Mining Ltd (ASX:GAL) has uncovered a new style of mineralisation near its Callisto palladium discovery within the 100%-owned Norseman Project in Western Australia.
Assays from the first of four reverse circulation (RC) drill holes from a regional scout drilling campaign on existing tracks showed wide zones of nickel sulphide within a mafic-ultramafic intrusion.
Drill hole NRC346, located 400 metres north of Callisto, returned higher-grade nickel intervals, with some of the standout results including:
- 50 metres at 0.32% nickel from 95 metres (about 80 metres below surface), including 2 metres at 0.50% nickel from 111 metres;
- 2 metres at 0.59% nickel from 123 metres;
- 2 metres at 0.56% nickel from 136 metres; and
- 3 metres at 0.46% nickel from 142 metres.
This program will aim to define the sulphide zone and its potential relationship with the interpreted intrusion and will include down hole electromagnetic (EM) surveying to look for sulphide accumulations beneath the conductive sediment layer.
Plan map of new nickel sulphide target. Callisto is within the red dotted outline and is associated with a separate, linear magnetic unit which represents an ultramafic sill.
Amazing potential
Galileo managing director Brad Underwood said: “Today’s results confirm the amazing prospectivity of the ground we are exploring. In our first regional exploration program since the discovery of Callisto, we have identified wide zones of disseminated nickel sulphide in a new geological setting.
“This new area has the potential for a substantial nickel discovery associated with a large, interpreted intrusion a hundred metres to the north of NRC346.
"The style of metal enrichment identified has higher nickel content than Callisto and lacks the PGE metals seen to the south. It also occurs within a discrete gabbroic rock unit and the company believes this represents a previously unknown intrusive nickel target within a newly identified and highly fertile mineral province.
“Historical exploration was guided by surface sampling, which left most of the area unexplored as mineralisation does not outcrop due to the flat-lying stratigraphy. Having discovered Callisto, we are now in an excellent position to effectively explore and discover the next generation of deposits that are blind to surface prospecting techniques.
“Our target generation model has been validated by the current results and we will continue to aggressively explore all of the 278 square kilometres of tenements at our Norseman project.”
Plan map of RC drilling at the newly identified nickel sulphide zone north of the Callisto discovery.
Other works
RC and diamond drilling is continuing at Callisto and a down hole EM survey has been planned to follow up on massive sulphides previously intersected in NRCD293.
Assays from the ongoing diamond drilling and from rhodium testing of RC drill holes are expected to be available from mid-November onwards.
About Galileo
Galileo is focused on the exploration and development of palladium, nickel, copper and cobalt resources in Western Australia. Its tenements near Norseman are highly prospective for palladium-copper-nickel sulphide deposits as shown by the Callisto discovery.
The company also has joint ventures with the Creasy Group over tenements in the Fraser Range, which are prospective for nickel-copper sulphide deposits similar to the operating Nova mine.
The Norseman Project contains a near-surface laterite deposit, with more than 26,000 tonnes of contained cobalt and 122,000 tonnes of contained nickel.