Miramar Resources Ltd (ASX:M2R) has increased the nickel sulphide potential of the Gidji joint venture project in Western Australia’s Eastern Goldfields with re-assays of aircore holes revealing further platinum group element (PGE) results.
The platinum and/or palladium assays are associated with high nickel and/or copper results thus increasing the potential for the presence of nickel sulphide mineralisation.
Further re-assays
These re-assays of multiple aircore holes follow the recognition of PGE mineralisation in a limited number of aircore holes with high nickel and/or copper assays.
The multiple additional platinum and/or palladium results are seen to be related to two ultramafic units with combined assays of up to 200 parts per billion (ppb).
“Highly significant”
Miramar’s executive chairman Allan Kelly said the new PGE results were highly significant when assessing the potential for discovery of nickel sulphide mineralisation at Gidji.
“The local geology of the Gidji JV Project is very similar to that seen at Scotia, with a steep westerly dipping sequence of mafic and ultramafic rocks, including the Highway Ultramafic unit, above a footwall sequence of sediments and/or basalt,” he said.
“High nickel, by itself, is not a good indicator of nickel sulphide mineralisation but can instead be a result of the high background nickel content in the ultramafic stratigraphy and/or of lateritic weathering.
“The combination of elevated nickel and copper with elevated PGE results, however, is strongly suggestive of a relationship between the higher nickel results and a nickel sulphide source.”
About Gidji
Gidji Project, in which Miramar holds 80%, is about 15 kilometres north of Kalgoorlie and, aside from the significant gold discovery potential, contains multiple ultramafic units.
These include the Highway Ultramafic which hosts the historic Scotia nickel mine and Auroch Minerals Ltd (ASX:AOU)’s Saints nickel deposit.
Miramar purchased an 80% interest in the project as part of its 2020 IPO.
What comes next?
As a result of the extensive surficial cover, and the lack of any outcrop, there has been minimal previous nickel exploration within the Gidji Project tenements.
Miramar has now outlined at least two prospective basal contact targets, on the eastern side of the Highway Ultramafic unit, and a second ultramafic unit further to the west.
The company is now planning to cover these highly prospective nickel targets with a ground electromagnetic (EM) survey, followed by RC and/or diamond drilling of the basal contact targets.