West Perth-based Abador Gold NL is targeting a Silver Swan lookalike in Western Australia’s eastern Goldfields.
The exploration programme for nickel sulphides, funded by joint venture partners Billiton Australia and QNI and operated by Abador, is well underway.
Aeromagnetics were flown and processed during the June quarter with the results being incorporated into a comprehensive database.
Abador managing director Ray Muskett said the acquisition of
further technical data and interpretation will lead to the selection of drilling targets in the Mulgarrie joint venture.
In April this year, it was announced that Billiton and QNI agreed to spend up to $3.5 million to earn a 65 per cent interest in a nickel sulphide exploration project at Mulgarrie, 70 kilometres north, north-east of Kalgoorlie and north of the Silver Swan nickel sulphide discovery.
During the quarter, Abador completed a detailed aeromagnetic programme over the tenement and assembled the various sources of past exploration data into a common database. New orthophotography and radiometrics were also acquired.
Mr Muskett said the database will be subjected to a careful appraisal to establish the volcanogenic and structural framework of the ultramafic units present.
“These ultramafics are largely under soil cover and have either not been tested or only drilled on widely spaced traverses,” he said.
External consultants such as the CSIRO may be used to assist in this interpretation.
The next quarter will see the geophysics interpreted, soil geochemistry for nickel sulphides undertaken and specific drill targets generated.
“Other geophysical techniques such as ground electromagnetics may also be tested during the quarter,” he said. “Some drilling may occur during this period.”
