Surefire onto nickel in Julimar province
Junior base metals explorer Surefire Resources may be poised to unwrap a parcel of polymetallic treasures after a high−resolution aeromagnetic survey and first-pass exploration work at its Kadji Project in the West Yilgarn region of WA confirmed the presence of nickeliferous ultramafic lithologies. The project is considered highly prospective for nickel, copper and platinum group elements, or “PGE” and is in the same province as Chalice Mining’s Julimar Gonneville discovery.
According to Surefire, the Kadji project sits along the same trend as Gonneville and encompasses an area previously characterised as a block-faulted gneiss surrounded by Yilgarn Craton granites.
The company says an aeromagnetic survey indicated the presence of greenstones previously missed by past explorers and the high-resolution data refined what were unclear magnetic indications into regions of inferred layered ultramafic and smaller plutonic intrusive rocks. Surefire believes both of the newly defined geological settings are highly prospective for nickel, copper and PGE mineralisation.
The company’s polymetallic ground at the project spans over 25 kilometres of strike.
To aid in the interpretation of the aeromagnetic data, a geological field reconnaissance was conducted. The campaign confirmed the presence of mafic and ultramafic lithologies adding weight to the belief Kadji is highly prospective for Julimar-style nickel-copper-PGE sulphide mineralisation.
A subsequent rock chip and soil sampling program found the outcropping lithologies to host nickel values of up to 618 parts per million. Interestingly, Surefire says nickel above 300ppm is considered anomalous and given its results are almost twice as high, the first signs of mineralisation at the project appear promising.
Surefire Resources' Managing Director Vladimir Nikolaenko said:“Verification of mafic and ultramafic lithologies in the Kadji area is very exciting as Kadji lies in the West Yilgarn Ni−Cu−PGE Province, host to the newly discovered Julimar Ni−Cu−PGE deposit. Surefire controls over 25km strike length of this under−explored area. Together with the gold and lithium potential of the lease, Kadji is shaping up to be a promising prospect for the Company.”
In addition to the broad polymetallic potential, the company also unveiled a string of historic gold workings in a set of north-west trending structures and a sequence of previously unchartered pegmatites north of the project area.
Surefire now finds itself with a wealth of in-vogue targets at Kadji and success in either direction could make headlines for the Perth-based company. With global interest in battery metals surging, the pegmatite discovery could make a promising addition to a prospective polymetallic find nestled neatly into the same province as Chalice Mining’s much-lauded Gonneville discovery. Throw some gold in the mix and the project could shape up to be a multi-commodity beast.
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