The company twinned the anomalous historic drillhole completed by Iluka Resources Limited (“Iluka”) by way of a single vertical aircore hole SS001 (Figure 1). ASQ’s SS001 was terminated at 52m due to difficult drilling conditions prior to intersecting fresh basement rock.
The encouraging assay results from SS001 include intersections; 12m from 26m @ 0.70% Ni and 0.06% Cu, within 21m from 21m @ 0.59% Ni and 0.05% Cu with maximum recorded values of 9,237ppm (0.92%) Ni from 28-30m and 1,007ppm Cu from 38-42m consistent with the previously reported Iluka result.
Petrography and mineralogy descriptions of selected drill chips show the mineralisation to occur in nickeliferous siderite with common evidence of concentrations of predominantly weathered Ni/Cu/Fe sulphide minerals. The association of siderite with sulphides is thought to be highly unusual and although the exact style of mineralisation is not known, it is likely the mineralised zone represents transported or in situ material formed within a local structural boundary such as the nearby WSW/ENE orientated major fault mapped by the Geological Survey of Western Australia (Figure 2).
The indication that significant concentrations of nickel and copper are present and may be associated with the numerous linear structures found within the project area is encouraging and potentially points to the faults acting as conduits for the movement of metals from any sulphide rich intrusions present within the basement sequence.
ASQ’s drilling was limited to the road reserve due to land access restrictions where it was possible to twin the anomalous Iluka hole. ASQ will continue efforts to establish neighbouring land access in order to further assess this anomaly.
ASQ commissioned exploration industry consultants Newexco Exploration Pty Ltd to complete reviews of the existing surface geochemistry and geophysics data and assist with target generation for the South Stirling Project. Newexco applied an advanced magnetic and radiometric processing suite to the South Stirling dataset in order to better delineate magnetic source rocks that may represent mafic intrusions. These interpreted intrusions have been prioritised against the surface geochemistry data yielding a number of areas that justify further work.
Any bedrock conductors identified by the AEM will be confirmed by ground electromagnetics surveys following establishment of land access and prior to drill testing.
ASQ is actively seeking joint venture partners for strategic involvement in the South Stirling Project and has received a number of approaches from major mining companies.The prospectivity of the Project presents a rare opportunity for a motivated group to get involved. Discussions are underway with several well credentialed parties who have expressed an interest in earning into the project by way of funding the exploration ASQ plan to carry out or by undertaking the exploration themselves.