Nickel mineralisation intersected at all five targets with 6m @ 2.22% Ni and 2,514ppm Cu returned at the Blair South target
HIGHLIGHTS
Initial 20-hole (3,429m) RC drilling program with accompanying down-hole electromagnetic (DHEM) surveys completed by Essential’s Farm-in/JV partner, ANCO.
Five targets identified by ANCO were drilled and include Blair South, N10C, Blair Footwall, Elias and Reeve.
Significant nickel assays were received from all five targets, with best results including:
o 25m @ 0.80% Ni and 994ppm Cu (includes 6m @ 2.22% Ni and
2514ppm Cu) from 119m (Blair South) (ANRC017)
o 28m @ 0.60% Ni and 911ppm Cu (includes 4m @ 1.41% Ni and
1050ppm Cu) from 113m (Blair South) (ANRC019)
o 11m @ 0.42% Ni and 470ppm Cu from 32m and 4m @ 0.65% Ni and
215ppm Cu (including 1m @ 1.56% Ni and 71ppm Cu) from 104m
(Blair Footwall) (ANRC002) o 4m @ 0.60% Ni and 315ppm Cu from 140m (N10C Target) (ANRC005) o 2m @ 0.50% Ni and 150ppm Cu from 219m (N10C Target) and 3m @ 0.51% Ni and 201ppm Cu from 227m (N10C Target) (ANRC010) o 2m @ 0.43% Ni and 122ppm Cu from 107m (Elias) (ANRC014)
The next phase of work planned at Blair South will include re-assaying of historical samples (where available) for platinum group elements within the mineralised envelope.
Essential Metals Managing Director, Tim Spencer, said: “The success of the first drill programme conducted by our JV partner ANCO is testament to the rigorous review and analysis they have undertaken since the commencement of the Farm-in/JV, which involved working through vast datasets accumulated over several decades. Intersecting significant nickel mineralisation at all five targets bodes well for the future exploration and we look forward to ANCO’s next exploration programmes being implemented.”