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Since acquiring the project, exploration by View Resources initially focused on the delineation of the known mineralisation at the Zone 29 and Carnilya Hill mines, as well as testing for immediate along strike extensions to these deposits. This work utilised reverse circulation drilling, diamond drilling and several phases of both fixed loop and moving loop Surface Electromagnetic (EM) and Down Hole Electromagnetic (DHEM) surveys.
The Carnilya Hill Mine has produced in excess of 47,000 tonnes of nickel metal. The sulphide deposit is a relatively shallow and flat - plunging orebody, compared to many other sulphide bodies in the Kambalda district. Most of the major nickel deposits in the district are known to extend downplunge to considerable depth and many are still being profitably exploited at depths well in excess of 800 metres. Prior to Mincor’s involvement, drilling and mining defined the body to a maximum depth of only 300 metres with very limited work having been done to test the mineralisation continuity down plunge to the west.
Mincor commenced drilling of the Carnilya Hill plunge extensions in March 2006 with immediate success, including intersections of 10.7 metres at 7% nickel, 6.3 metres at 4.2% nickel and 3.7 metres at 4.6% nickel (figure 2). This work tested the orebody between the base of the existing mine to around 600 metres below surface and resulted in the definition of a resource containing 16,100 tonnes of nickel in two zones. This resource can be easily accessed via an extension of the existing Carnilya Hill decline. The final drillhole in the drill programme, CMD0028W1 intersected 2.8 metres at 8.6% nickel, indicating that the plunge of the ore zone at this point was steeper than initially expected and that the orebody remains entirely open at depth (refer long section). This position will be tested further from underground.
Figure 2. Long Section through the Carnilya Hill orebody showing results of the resource drilling.
Previous exploration by View Resources to the east of the previously operating Zone 29 Mine was successful in the delineation of nickel sulphide mineralisation at the Zone 29 East Deposit. A revised resource estimate recently completed by Mincor showed potential for up to 1,800 tonnes of contained nickel metal to be present within a 61,000 tonne orebody that could be potentially accessible via a decline from the existing Zone 29 underground workings. Mincor have planned additional infill and extension drilling of this resource.
Outside of the immediate mine areas, surface geophysical surveys have defined a number of more regional targets, many of which have yet to be tested by drilling.
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