Native Mineral Resources has spotted what it believes to be a significant iron-oxide copper-gold anomaly from a maiden high-resolution magnetic drone survey at its 100 per cent owned Nullarbor tenements in Western Australia. The new target area is perched on a low seismic zone with a large-scale structure and low resistivity readings, intriguingly similar to the enormous Olympic Dam iron-oxide copper-gold, or “IOCG” deposit.
The magnetic survey flew a total of 693-line kilometres at a 30-metre flight height with 50m line spacings and a tie line spacing of 500m. The flight parameters were chosen specifically in order to refine the predicted target depth, estimated to be around 100m deep. The flight path was oriented east to west at a high angle to the strike trend of the anomaly.
A distinct 1200m-plus long and 400m wide magnetic high with a relative peak has been highlighted by the company as a good indicator of what could be a lurking IOCG deposit beneath.
High-resolution magnetic surveys are a first pass industry-standard technique to look beneath the cover rocks and allow explorers to pinpoint targets where limited or no outcrop exists, as is the case in the Nullarbor tenement package.
Due to the shallow depth of the basement rock to the northern target, a second more concise survey is scheduled to commence over the coming days at a line spacing of 50m and a flight height of 20m.
The results from the surveys yet to be interpreted will likely define the targeting criteria for upcoming diamond drilling.
The identified targets sit in the Magura Tectonic Province in south-eastern WA at the end of a northeast-trending moderately magnetic ridge zone. It runs parallel to several favourable features observed in the publicly available regional magnetic data.
Limited drilling has been conducted on two Native Mineral Resources’ Nullarbor tenements with one tenement having no previous exploratory drilling. According to the company, the lack of historic drilling presents new and exciting unexplored opportunities in the region.
Notably, Native Minerals is not the only one perusing the Nullarbor project area with some tier-1 exploration companies including Rio Tinto, BHP and others including Nickel West, Red Metals and Maria Resources also exploring the surrounding frontier terrain.
Native Mineral Resources Managing Director, Blake Cannavo said: “This spectacular geophysical data collected using new drone capabilities on E69/3850 presents a major step forward for NMR in defining the first of three significant targets on the Nullarbor in southeastern Western Australia. We are very encouraged by these initial results as they help validate the presence of a significant IOCG-style target above an already identified Magnetotelluric anomaly within the tenement. All data received to date indicate that this is a high potential target. We are now advancing this project with the aim of drilling as soon as the geology team completes their drill target definition work.”
With several uber-large exploration companies occupying the same area, large magnetic anomalies lighting up and relatively little historical drilling in the immediate area, Native Minerals seem to have an intriguing plot of land in its hands. It’s now a case of “watch this space” to see what news the drill bit will bring.
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By Matt Birney
