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Azure Minerals galvanised by new broad, high-grade nickel hits at Andover’s Ridgeline deposit

Last updated: 12:24 02 Nov 2022 AEDT, First published: 11:51 02 Nov 2022 AEDT

Azure Minerals Ltd - Azure Minerals galvanised by new nickel hits at Andover’s Ridgeline deposit

Azure Minerals Ltd (ASX:AZS) has fielded broad, high-grade nickel hits thanks to resource definition drilling at the Ridgeline nickel-copper-cobalt deposit, part of its 60%-owned Andover Project in WA.

The base metal explorer drilled 61 diamond holes, covering 33,120 metres, across the sulphide deposit in a bid to scale up mineralisation.

Nameplate results from this batch of assays include:

  • 31.8 metres at 1.41% nickel, 0.88% copper and 0.06% cobalt;
  • 19.3 metres at 1.44% nickel, 0.40% copper and 0.06% cobalt; and
  • 27.7 metres at 1.04% nickel, 0.43% copper and 0.04% cobalt.

On top of these three drill holes, hole ANDD0177 intersected material sulphide hits, with just under 16 metres of core showcasing disseminated, heavily disseminated, semi-massive and massive nickel-copper readings from 508.2 metres.

More results are expected from this strongly mineralised intersection, while a mineral resource estimate (MRE) for the Ridgeline deposit is in the works.

Setting the course for MRE

Azure managing director Tony Rovira said: “The Ridgeline nickel-copper-cobalt deposit continues to grow in size and scale with another round of extremely positive drill results adding significantly to the known mineralised zones.

“The steeply plunging strongly mineralised shoots demonstrate significant vertical extent and still remain open up and down plunge.

“The central cores of these shoots are characterised by zones of high-grade semi-massive to massive nickel and copper sulphides surrounded by a broad halo of disseminated sulphide mineralisation.

“We now have sufficient drill density for geological modelling of the deposit and to complete a mineral resource estimate.”

The results are in

More strong assays from recent drilling at Ridgeline include:

  • 7 metres at 1.33% nickel, 0.48% copper and 0.06% cobalt from 446.8 metres;
  • 7.1 metres at 1.02% nickel, 0.69% copper and 0.04% cobalt from 422.8 metres;
  • 3.8 metres at 1.84% nickel, 0.47% copper and 0.09% cobalt from 508.8 metres and 4 metres at 1.35% nickel, 0.31% copper and 0.07% cobalt from 520.7 metres;
  • 2.9 metres at 2.61% nickel, 1.05% copper and 0.11% cobalt from 458.1 metres;
  • 5.7 metres at 1.54% nickel, 0.32% copper and 0.07% cobalt from 485.1 metres, including 2.2 metres at 2.79% nickel, 0.44% copper and 0.12% cobalt from 488.6 metres; and
  • 1.8 metres at 3.03% nickel, 0.44% copper and 0.12% cobalt from 89.4 metres.

Drilling to date has consistently intersected the Ridgeline mineralised system over an east-west strike of more than 350 metres and between 200 and 500 metres below the surface.

What's more, a detailed geological and structural interpretation of Ridgeline’s central portion has defined two northwest-plunging shoots —nicknamed East and West — that include broad widths of massive and semi-massive nickel and copper sulphide mineralisation.

Another zone of high-tenor mineralisation — dubbed the North Shoot —was discovered in a higher stratigraphic position, roughly 140 metres north of the main Ridgeline mineralised horizon.

As such, the recent assays from Ridgeline confirm Azure’s interpretation that each of the identified shoots contain high-grade massive and semi-massive nickel and copper sulphides at their core with a surrounding, broad halo of disseminated sulphide mineralisation.

Next up

With the resource drill-out at Ridgeline under its belt, Azure is on the hunt for other nickel-copper occurrences within the broader Andover project.

Beyond drilling, fieldwork like mapping and rock chip sampling is underway to generate and refine base metal targets.

In particular, Azure is taking the magnifying glass to Andover’s Southern Mineralised Corridor, where the Seaview, Skyline, Atrium and Pipeline prospects show great promise.

The explorer will process and interpret results in the coming months, while a fixed-loop electromagnetic survey is planned for high-priority areas.

Azure Minerals observes substantial spodumene-rich pegmatites at Target Area 3

Azure Minerals Ltd (ASX:AZS, OTC:AZRMF) MD Tony Rovira tells Proactive drilling has commenced within Target Area 3 at the company’s Andover Project with the first three drill holes intersecting significant widths of spodumene-bearing pegmatites. He adds that assays from drilling within target...

on 10/10/23