Legend Mining Ltd (ASX:LEG) has received a $2.93 million research and development refund from the Australian Taxation Office which will support its ongoing exploration at the Rockford Project the prolific Fraser Range of Western Australia.
The refund applies to the company’s R&D expenditure incurred on state-of-the-art exploration techniques at Rockford during the 2022 financial year.
This Federal Government scheme applies to expenditure on R&D initiatives that stand to increase and enhance Australia’s strategic role in mining and other key industries at a global level.
Legend received specialist advice from Deloitte in relation to this claim.
Innovative techniques
The company is using innovative and proven techniques to continue focused exploration primarily targeting nickel, copper and cobalt sulphides at its lead Mawson prospect and other Rockford Project regional prospects, including Octagonal.
Rockford is in the highly prospective Fraser Range district of Western Australia and considered prospective for mineralisation styles including magmatic nickel-copper, VMS zinc-copper-silver and structurally controlled gold.
It comprises 14 granted exploration licences covering a total area of 3,016 square kilometres with various levels of ownership and partnerships with successful Fraser Range operators, including IGO Ltd and Creasy Group.
Rockford Project prospect locations on gravity.
3D seismic survey
Most recently, Legend has undertaken data acquisition for a 3D seismic survey over a 24 square kilometre area at Octagonal.
HiSeis field teams conducted the data collection with the final results of the survey scheduled to be delivered by April-May 2023.
The +$1 million survey aims to define the architecture of the Octagonal Intrusive Complex in relation to the stratigraphic package, to a depth of investigation of a minimum 1,500 metres below surface.
Legend’s decision to conduct this survey is based on the results it is generating from the drilling of seismic targets at the Mawson prospect.
3D Seismic Survey lines across the Octagonal Intrusive Complex with geology map.
On receipt of the 3D seismic survey results, the company will conduct an intensive process of interrogation, including incorporation of existing geophysical, geological, geochemical and structural datasets with the aim to define and rank new diamond drilling targets for the 2023 field season at Octagonal.
Board members on-site
During the data collection by HiSeis, Legend board members visited the Octagonal prospect.
Legend managing director Mark Wilson said: “It was great for the board to see first-hand the Octagonal 3D seismic survey in operation and ahead of schedule.
"The smooth execution of what is a sophisticated program of works by both HiSeis and Legend teams was obvious for all too see.”
Recent activities
During the September quarter, exploration activities at Rockford included diamond drilling of seismic targets at Mawson and at a regional level innovative EM and aircore drilling continued to identify a new pipeline of prospective nickel-copper targets.
3D model evolution utilising updated geological and geophysical modelling, including 3D seismic, continues to drive focused exploration targeting at Mawson.
The aim of the seismic survey was to define the architecture of the Mawson intrusion in relation to the stratigraphic package, to a depth of investigation of a minimum 1,000 metres below surface across a 6.5 square kilometre area.
Phase one diamond drilling of select seismic targets was completed, with initial results supporting the application of seismic as a targeting technique in the Fraser Range.
Legend has since used this methodology at the Octagonal prospect.
Pipeline of targets
The company continues to expand and interrogate extensive datasets to generate a new pipeline of prospective nickel-copper-cobalt sulphide targets.
More than 13,000 metres of first-pass aircore drilling has been completed across new and existing priority areas.
Additionally, innovative MLTEM and FLTEM surveys continue across selected areas at the Rockford Project.
Work programs
Future work programs include:
- Detailed structural analysis of completed diamond drill holes at Mawson.
- Collation of all downhole geophysical and petrophysical data from Mawson.
- Reprocessing of the Mawson 3D seismic model with new downhole datasets.
- Octagonal seismic data processing through to March 2023.
- Final 3D seismic model for Octagonal to be received April-May 2023.
- Incorporate completed drilling, geophysics, geochemistry and structural data with existing 3D modelling into the seismic model for diamond drilling target ranking and planning mid-2023.