The Conversation (0)
Auroch Minerals Limited (ASX:AOU) (Auroch or the Company) is pleased to announce that it has commenced sampling as part of the assessment of the lithium-caesium-tantalum (LCT) mineralisation potential at the Nepean Project in Western Australia (Auroch Minerals 80%).
Highlights
- Abundant pegmatites identified at the Nepean Project to be sampled for lithium-caesiumtantalum (LCT) mineralisation
- Recent drill-hole NPDD008 testing the Nepean Deeps nickel exploration target intersected a total of 700m of pegmatite intrusions, including one 350m thick pegmatite in the hanging-wall below the historic nickel mine workings1
- Multiple commodities including lithium and tantalum were historically mined from pegmatite intrusions at the Londonderry deposits only 6km north of the historic Nepean nickel mine
- Down-hole geophysical surveys are currently being completed on drill-hole NPDD008 to identify potential nickel sulphide targets for the ongoing Nepean Deeps drill programme
Pegmatite intrusions have been identified throughout the project area, including at the historic Nepean nickel mine itself, where multiple pegmatites intruded the mine sequence but were not historically assessed for any economic potential.
The abundance of pegmatites was also identified in the recently-completed first diamond drill-hole into the Nepean Deeps target, which was designed to test for down-plunge extensions to the highgrade nickel sulphide mineralisation below the historic Nepean mine. The drill-hole successfully intersected 46m of komatiitic ultramafics over three lower intervals which are highly prospective for nickel sulphide mineralisation (Figure 1)1 . In addition the hole intersected approximately 700m of pegmatite intrusions, including one 350m thick pegmatite in the hanging-wall below the historic nickel mine workings (Figure 1, Photograph 1)1 .
Figure 1 – Cross section of diamond hole NPDD008 drilled below the historic Nepean mine workings showing lithologies intersected against a 2D seismic survey section. The thick pegmatite intrusion shown corresponds with an area of weaker reflectors
The Company has initiated sampling of the pegmatites from the diamond core to be submitted for assaying for LCT mineralisation.
AOU:AU
