Strategic Minerals plc (AIM: SML; USOTC: SMCDY), a diversified mineral production and development company, announces the completion of the air core drilling for the nickel and cobalt targets at Central Australian Rare Earths’ (“CARE”) tenements at Hanns Camp, Western Australia, east of Laverton.
Key Highlights
· Successful cobalt and nickel intersections in 23 of the 49 holes completed
· Extensive air core drilling of 1,915 metres completed
· Stronger intersections include:
HCAC049: 24m @ 1.05% Ni eq. from 24m (including, 24m @ 0.75% Ni and 16m @ 0.07% Co)
HCAC048: 24m @ 0.96% Ni eq. from 24m (including, 24m @ 0.72% Ni and 4m @ 0.10% Co)
HCAC039: 12m @ 1.36% Ni eq. from 16m (including, 12m @ 0.77% Ni and 12m @ 0.14% Co)
HCAC028: 21m @ 1.24% Ni eq. from 21m (including, 21m @ 0.97% Ni and 21m @ 0.06% Co)
HCAC025: 16m @ 1.10% Ni eq. from 16m (including, 16m @ 0.78% Ni and 4m @ 0.06% Co)
· Substantial zone of anomalous Co-Ni mineralisation extends approximately 1,000m x 500m
· Potential easy access to minerals with top of mineralisation from 4m to 24m from surface
· Extensive review of the nickel sulphide potential commenced with engagement of Dr Martin Gole. Dr Gole is an internationally recognised ultramafic Ni expert
A slightly expanded version of this RNS can also be found on our website www.strategicminerals.net under the investors/presentations tab.
Chairman of Strategic Minerals, Mr Alan Broome AM, commented:
“SML acquired 100% ownership of CARE in May 2017 and we are pleased to announce that the completion of the first phase of exploration drilling at Hanns Camp has supported the identification of cobalt and nickel laterite mineralisation. These results are highly encouraging for the prospectivity of the mineralisation and provide a solid base for further exploration.
“As stated when we commenced this programme, this drilling is the first phase of exploration of the highly prospective Hanns Camp tenements The intersection of both cobalt and nickel laterite mineralisation, over an extensive area, is encouraging and lays the ground work to further examine the initial objective of identifying a substantial nickel sulphide deposit. The addition of Dr Gole brings a fantastic level of expertise to the team and will ensure we are well placed as we move forward with exploration.”
[1] Ni equivalent (NiEq.) calculations based on a Nickel price of US$ 5.35 / lb and a cobalt price of US$ 27.1/ lb.
CARE Tenements
In 2016, the Company funded a drilling programme at the highly prospective Hanns Camp located within CARE’s Laverton Project. In doing so, it acquired 50% of the ownership of CARE from Rarus Limited (“Rarus”). Subsequently, in May 2017, the Company acquired the balance of the ownership of CARE, which is now wholly owned by the Company.
CARE holds tenements and has access to mining rights for cobalt, nickel, rare earth elements and gold in these tenements in Western Australia.
The Laverton Project is located in the ‘Eastern Yilgarn Craton Nickel Sulphide Province’ in Western Australia that is most notable for hosting the Mount Windarra and South Windarra nickel sulphide deposits located 12km west of the Laverton Project which together produced 8.1 million metric tonnes (Mt) at 1.51% nickel (Ni) between 1974 and 1992. Other more recent discoveries located distally north and south along strike of the Laverton Project include;
· Duketon Mining’s Rosie Deposit that has a Mineral Resource estimate of 1.74Mt at 1.7% Ni including a best intercept of 5.2 metres at 9.13% Ni, 1.09% copper (Cu) and 2.22grams/ tonne platinum (Pt) from 599.71 metres down hole
· Rox Resources’ Fisher East Project (Mineral Resource 3.6Mt at 2.0% Ni)
· Impact Minerals’ Mulga Tank Project which returned a best intercept of 0.25 metres at 3.8% Ni and 0.7% Cu from 212.6 metres down hole
Hanns Camp Cobalt – Nickel Targets
In September 2017, a 49-hole air core drilling programme was completed across the extent of the known Hanns Camp ultramafic rocks. The drilling targeted a concentration of cobalt and nickel within the lateritic weathering profile. All holes were drilled vertically and drilled to the depth of weathering. A total of 1,915 metres were drilled with an average depth of 39m. 23 of the 49 holes drilled intersected mineralisation. Nickel equivalent grades were calculated on the following parameters: Ni equivalent (NiEq.) calculations based on a Nickel price of US$ 5.35 / lb and a cobalt price of US$ 27.1 / lb.
The stronger intersections are included below:
· HCAC049: 24m @ 1.05% Ni eq. from 24m (including, 24m @ 0.75% Ni and 16m @ 0.07% Co)
· HCAC048: 24m @ 0.96% Ni eq. from 24m (including, 24m @ 0.72% Ni and 4m @ 0.10% Co)
· HCAC039: 12m @ 1.36% Ni eq. from 16m (including, 12m @ 0.77% Ni and 12m @ 0.14% Co)
· HCAC028: 21m @ 1.24% Ni eq. from 21m (including, 21m @ 0.97% Ni and 21m @ 0.06% Co)
· HCAC025: 16m @ 1.10% Ni eq. from 16m (including, 16m @ 0.78% Ni and 4m @ 0.06% Co)
A full listing of the significant intersections is included in Table 1. Assaying was completed on 4m composite intervals. SML propose to complete a second phase of assaying utilising the 1m sample intervals in areas of higher grade. The 1m intervals assays will be completed before the end of 2017 and will be released when completed.
Significant Intersections
Table 1 summarises the significant drilling results from the recent air core drilling at Hanns Camp. Significant intersections being defined as a minimum of 4m at either 0.05% cobalt or 0.5% Nickel.
Table 1 Significant Intersections
Nickel Sulphide Exploration[1] NSA: No significant Assays
SML has commenced the Phase 2 of its exploration programme with a review of the historical nickel sulphide potential. This is focused on EM generated targets, but will initially review the extensive database of geological information that was acquired from the previous owners. Dr Martin Gole, an internationally recognised nickel sulphide expert has been engaged by SML and has begun a review of the prospectivity of the Hanns Camp tenements as well as the broader Laverton Project. The aim of this review will be to generate nickel sulphide targets both in the Hanns Camp area and for other known ultramafic host rocks within the CARE tenement holdings.
Competent Persons Statement
The Exploration results in this announcement are based on information compiled by Mr. Graeme Purcell, who is a Member of the Australasian Institute of Geoscientists (Member No. 4722). Mr Purcell is the Principal Geologist at Petrichor and is a consultant to the Company. He has sufficient experience relevant to the style of mineralisation and type of deposit under consideration and to the activity he is undertaking to qualify as a Competent Person, as defined in the 2012 Edition of the Australasian Code for Reporting of Exploration Results, Mineral Resources and Ore Reserves and a qualified person as defined in the AIM Note for Mining and Oil & Gas Companies dated June 2009. Mr Purcell has over 20 years’ Australia and international experience in exploration for precious and base metals.
