West Australian-based nickel explorer Condor Nickel (ASX:CNK) has announced "very encouraging" iron results at its Kallona Pool tenement in the East Pilbara district of Western Australia .
A two-day reconnaissance rock ship sampling programme was recently completed at the Kallona Pool prospect, located approximately 50 kilometres due east of Noreena Downs Station on the Balfour Downs sheet.
The programme focused on a ferruginous duricrust horizon mapped on the Balfour Downs 1:250,000 geological sheet.
During the afternoon trade, shares in Condor rose 14.3% to 12c.
This duricrust horizon is inferred to represent the Marra Mamba Formation, with field observations confirming this duricrust horizon is associated with a banded iron formation and forms a dissected escarpment striking east to west and dipping at approximately 5 to 10 degrees to the north.
The duricrust horizon was traced along strike for approximately 2 kilometres although the Balfour Downs geological map reports a total strike length of approximately 10 kilometres.
The rock chip sampling programme generally focused along the escarpment although several samples were collected up to 150 metres down dip until colluvium and transported lateritic material dominated the regolith.
The duricrust horizon is represented by a leached subvitreous to vitreous goethitic-hematitic rock with the original outline of banding in the BIF still preserved.
Twenty-two rock chip samples, each weighing a minimum of 5 kilograms, were collected along only a 2 kilometres length of the duricrust horizon although, as mentioned above, this duricrust horizon has been mapped over a 10 kilometre strike length.
Results were very encouraging with 19 of the 22 rock chip samples reporting greater than 57% Fe. Of those 19 samples, 10 reported greater than 61% Fe up to a maximum of 66.58% Fe.
Low to medium levels of aluminium, silica and phosphorus were also reported. Results are attached. Geochemical results and outcrop textures confirm that the ferruginous duricrust horizon most likely represents the Marra Mamba Formation.
Sample 09KR 18 also collected within the duricrust horizon returned a high grade manganese result (51.35% Mn). The manganiferous outcrop is approximately 1.5 metres thick and can be traced along strike for at least 10 metres before being obscured by colluvium.
In summary, a tabular east to west striking, shallow northerly-dipping ferruginous duricrust horizon with an apparent outcrop thickness of 4 metres was observed within the tenement. This horizon (Marra Mamba Formation) returned significant iron ore grades over a strike distance of approximately 2 kilometres and is open along strike to the east and west.
A high grade manganese result has also been reported within the ferruginous horizon.
Geological mapping and rock chip sampling of the entire ferruginous duricrust horizon within the tenement is recommended followed by reverse circulation drilling.