The value of nickel exploration efforts by NickelSearch Ltd (ASX:NIS) has been recognised by the Western Australian Government with the award of up to $220,000 in an Exploration Incentive Scheme (EIS) co-funded drilling grant.
EIS grants are awarded to companies and projects with potential to contribute to the long-term health and sustainability of the resources sector in WA, a competitive program that offers up to a 50% refund for innovative exploration drilling projects, capped at specific amounts.
Yesterday, NIS began reverse circulation (RC) drilling at the Carlingup Nickel Sulphide Project in Western Australia, targeting two high-priority nickel targets: B1 and Serendipity.
The EIS grant will allow NIS to complete a single diamond drill hole at the RAVD120 target to test promising historical base metal results.
In pursuit of battery metals
“NickelSearch is delighted to receive the EIS co-funding grant and we acknowledge the continued investment by the WA Government that supports mineral exploration and assists our company to search for the battery minerals required to move towards cleaner energy sources,” NickelSearch managing director Nicole Duncan said.
“The prospectivity of RAVD120 has been on our radar for some time, so the successful application for co-funding has provided the investment we need to schedule in the drilling at depth that is required to test the target area.
“We envisage drilling will occur by Q3 FY2023, weather permitting.”
The original RAVD120 hole was drilled in 2011 with assistance from the EIS co-funding scheme in place at that time, however, that hole could not be completed to the target depth and therefore failed to test the deep basal ultramafic contact for high-grade nickel-cobalt-copper-platinum group elements.
Carlingup nickel deposits, ultramafic units, structural interpretation, and location of EIS drill hole RAVD0120 (yellow star).
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