Nickel explorer, Estrella Resources has intercepted 12 metres of nickel-copper sulphides on previously untested ground, some 1.4 kilometres along trend from its T5 nickel-copper discovery near Kalgoorlie in Western Australia. The company says the new intercept in hole CBP076 looks strikingly similar to the T5 discovery RC hole, CBP043, that returned 8m at 1.11 per cent nickel and 0.36 per cent copper in 2019.
Estrella says the new sulphide hit at the Broonhill prospect lies on the same ‘pyroxenite basal contact’ as the sulphides discovered at T5. The mineralised strike length of the basal contact now stretches for more than 2km between T5 and Broonhill.
Importantly, the hole intercepted 2m of massive sulphides in the upper pyroxenite basal contact zone. Some 10m of disseminated nickel-copper sulphides are also reported to be present in a lower zone of the 12m interval.
The basal contact in the Broonhill area has not been drill-tested in the past, according to Estrella.
The intercept comes on the back of a ‘phase-four’ RC drilling campaign testing the northern extensions of the identified T5 mineralised zone. A further 2km of strike along the basal contact will be tested during the current drilling program.
The RC discovery hole at T5, CBP043 spurred Estrella into testing for nickel sulphides at depth, leading a conga line of nickel and copper sulphide hits at deeper levels.
Other intercepts to date include 20.1m at 1.04 per cent nickel and 0.67 per cent copper from 368.5m and 13.4m at 1.3 per cent nickel and 0.4 per cent copper from 392m.
Estrella believes the new intercept at Broonhill “bears all the hallmarks” of CBP043, suggesting potential for discovery of more massive sulphides at depth.
Estrella Resources Managing Director, Chris Daws said:“We are extremely excited with the CBP076 intersection of massive nickel-copper sulphides on the contact, which is reminiscent of the intersection achieved by CBP043 in 2019.
It was this historic hole that led the Company to drill and locate the T5 massive sulphides at depth, so we are particularly encouraged by what may come of this find.
In addition, the intersection of further nickel-copper sulphides in an area which already hosts the historic Carr Boyd mine and our T5 Discovery illustrates the significant potential of this region for discoveries.”
Estrella also reports that a previously drilled hole above the T5 mineralised zone has delivered yet another sulphide hit at the prospect. A 6m interval going 1.0 per cent nickel, 0.8 per cent copper and 0.5 grams per tonne combined platinum and palladium from 182m was intersected in the hole.
The T5 discovery lies within the company’s 100 per cent owned Carr Boyd project that also hosts nearby the historical Carr Boyd Rocks mine.
The mine churned out about 200,000 tonnes of ore at 1.43 per cent nickel and 0.46 per cent copper in the 1970s. A JORC2004 compliant resource of 636,000 tonnes at 1.4 per cent nickel and 0.5 per cent copper remains today.
Estrella is testing for possible links at depth between the Carr Boyd Rocks mineralisation and the massive sulphides discovered at T5.
Punters will likely be keeping a close eye on Estrella as it continues to test for sulphides along a mineralised strike that seems to just keep growing. If the nickel and copper hits from Carr Boyd do continue to flow, it could be a Blue label Christmas for this budding explorer.
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By Matt Birney
