Azure Minerals’ (ASX: AZS) Andover nickel-copper project is looking even more promising with the company uncovering a wide sulphide zone during step out drilling, Smallcaps.com.au reports.
The company has now extended known mineralisation at Andover – 35km southeast of Karratha, Pilbara region, Western Australia – by 120m with hole ANDD0007 hitting a 21.7m wide mineralised zone containing multiple zones of nickel-copper sulphides from 407.9m downhole.
Zones were broken into 2.7m of matrix to massive nickel-copper sulphides from 407.9m, 1.4m of matrix nickel-copper sulphides from 413m, and 0.5m of massive nickel-copper sulphides from 429.1m.
Azure noted the zone coincided with the 1.05km VC-07 conductor anomaly that was identified from an electromagnetic fixed loop survey.
Managing director Tony Rovira pointed out Azure had only started drilling at Andover 10 weeks ago with all seven holes completed to-date intersecting “significant nickel-copper mineralisation”. “A remarkable 100% success rate,” he added.
“The four most recent holes (ANDD0004-ANDD0007) all intersected broad intervals of nickel and copper sulphides that coincide with the VC-07 conductor.”
“Given that VC-07 extends for 1.05km east-west, at least 150-200m vertically, and remains unconstrained at depth, we believe there is excellent potential here for further drilling to delineate a major nickel-copper sulphide deposit.”
Advancing Andover
Azure acquired a 60% stake in Andover earlier this year with the renowned prospect Mark Creasy owning the remaining 40% through his Creasy Group vehicle.
Assays were recently received from ANDD0004 and confirmed visual observation of drill core.
The overall mineralised intersection of the hole was 41.9m at 101% nickel and 0.57% copper. Multiple higher grade zones were identified such as 16.2m at 2.09% nickel and 0.75% copper from 347.5m, including 8.5m at 2.77% nickel and 1.04% copper from 354.8m, and 4.1m at 3.52% nickel and 0.36% copper form 354.8m.
Azure is anticipating assays from the remaining three holes in the coming weeks.
Mr Rovira said drilling at the project will resume in the New Year with two rigs to operate throughout January and a third to begin in March to accelerate exploration.
“Most of the planned drilling will focus on the VC-07 conductor, but we also plan to drill other compelling, high priority EM targets,” Mr Rovira said.
“To-date where an EM conductor has been drilled at Andover, nickel and copper sulphides have been intersected.”
“With at least 12 more bedrock-hosted EM anomalies identified, there is a high confidence that additional nickel-copper discoveries will be made,” Mr Rovira added.
Andover Nickel-Copper Project (Azure 60% / Creasy Group 40%)
This 70km2 project covers most of the Andover Mafic-Ultramafic Intrusive Complex. Historical exploration demonstrated that it hosts nickel, copper, cobalt, platinum and palladium mineralisation. Being a layered mafic-ultramafic intrusion, Andover is similar geologically to the Fraser Range Province (host to the Nova-Bollinger nickel-copper mine and Legend Mining’s Mawson nickel-copper discovery) and the Julimar Intrusive Complex (host to Chalice Gold Mine’s Gonneville nickel-copper-PGE discovery).
Andover is located 35km southeast of Karratha and immediately south of Roebourne with excellent local infrastructure such as airports, port access, railway, grid power, sealed highways, and support services readily available.
Andover is situated in a well-mineralised district, with the Carlow Castle gold-copper-cobalt deposit 3km to the west, the now-closed Radio Hill nickel-copper mine and plant 28km to the southwest, and the Sherlock Bay nickel deposit 30km to the east.
