Drilling
Phase 1 – A number of drilling campaigns were conducted prior to 2001.
Phase 2 – A follow up program consisting of 62 holes (MTA113-MTA174) for 2,365m.
This drilling was designed to extend the resource delineated from the phase 1 drilling and test the southern strike extension of the metaperidotite on a 200m x 50m pattern searching for other high grade cobalt pods.
Drilling was undertaken by Westralian Diamond Drillers. Surveying of the holes was completed by Datum Survey. All holes were drilled vertically. A summary of the drilling program is displayed as a drill hole location plan.
Samples were collected as four meter composites throughout both phases of the aircore drilling program. One meter resamples were taken on, and either side of, >0.1% Co composites. Resamples were also taken on samples where the geology suggested the composite grade should have been better. Samples were sent to Kalgoorlie Assay Laboratory for Ni, Co, Cr, Mn, Al, Zn, Cu, Mg and Fe analysis, using a four acid digest and ICP-OES finish.
A series of check assaying was conducted and involved:
• Twenty intralab check assays on original pulps;
• Fifty resamples of previously assayed intervals, retaken in the field and submitted with new sample numbers to Kalgoolie Assay Labs; and
• Interlab checks with 113 pulps being sent to Genalysis for re-assay.
Results show that the procedure and assaying technique used by the laboratories to be essentially accurate, with the intra and interlab re-assays of Co and Ni showing excellent correlation with the original assays.
The drilling was successful in defining two areas of high grade Co mineralization. During the phase one drilling campaign an area covering 250m long and up to 100m wide was identified. A typical cross section 6447400N through this high grade zone is presented below (Mt Thirsty Drill Section). Best results from this program include:
• MTA052 9m @ 1.42% Ni / 0.63% Co from 7m
• MTA095 9m @ 1.49% Ni / 0.75% Co from 20m
• MTA086 7m @ 0.93% Ni / 0.60% Co from 16m
• MTA107 6m @ 0.77% Ni / 0.48% Co from 9m
• MTA111 4m @ 0.92% Ni / 0.71% Co from 5m
The second area of high grade Co mineralization covered an area 800m long and up to 100m wide and was discovered during the second phase of aircore drilling. Significant intersections within this zone include:
• MTA116 3m @ 1.10% Ni / 1.23% Co from 21m
• MTA144 10m @ 0.61% Ni / 0.44% Co from 15m
• MTA172 16m @ 0.49% Ni / 0.35% Co from 27m
Drilling was also conducted west of the above two zones to close off the mineralization. Drilling continued to intersect high grade Co mineralization potentially representing the edge of a new zone that has not been closed off to the west or to the south.
Mt Thirsty Drill Section
