Perth -
White Cliff Minerals Ltd. (ASX:WCN) ("White Cliff" or the "Company") is pleased to report initial assays from a 5,000 metre RC drilling campaign completed at its 100% owned Coronation Dam cobalt project 90km Southeast of Glencore's Murrin Murrin Nickel refinery in Western Australia's north-eastern goldfields.
Highlights
- Initial assays received from Coronation Dam, results include:
o 40 metres at 0.11% cobalt and 1.04% nickel from 16 metres
-- 15 metres at 0.20% cobalt and 1.1% nickel from 29 metres
o 20 metres at 0.27% cobalt and 0.66% nickel from 28 metres including:
-- 1 metre at 0.95% cobalt and 0.97% nickel from 31 metres and:
-- 1 metre at 0.63% cobalt and 0.70% nickel from 35 metres
o 12 metres at 0.06% cobalt at 0.93% nickel from 8 metres
o 12 metres at 0.05% cobalt and 0.85% nickel from 36 metres
- Mineralisation up to 550 metres wide and 40 metres thick
- Further assays expected within two weeks
Initial drilling results are from one of the first cross sections drilled in the central part of the deposit to confirm the historical drilling results. Extensive cobalt mineralisation was identified from surface, extends up to a depth of 65 metres and is approximately 550 metres wide. The orebody dips at a shallow angle to the west. Better results include:
- 40 metres at 0.11% cobalt and 1.04% nickel from 16 metres including;
o 15 metres at 0.20% cobalt and 1.1% nickel from 29 metres
- 8 metres at 0.06% cobalt and 0.84% nickel from 8 metres and;
- 9 metres at 0.05% cobalt and 0.70% nickel from 24 metres
- 20 metres at 0.27% cobalt and 0.66% nickel from 20 metres including;
o 1 metre at 0.95% cobalt and 0.97% nickel from 31 metres and;
o 1 metre at 0.63% cobalt and 0.70% nickel from 35 metres
- 12 metres at 0.07% cobalt and 0.85% nickel from 36 metres
The mineralisation has developed in the regolith profile above an intensely weathered ultramafic unit which was originally a peridotite. The peridotite is approximately 1 kilometre wide and 5.7 kilometres long within the mining tenement which covers 16km2. Drilling was conducted on a 100 metre by 100 metre grid with extensions on a 200 by 100 metre grid. Once all assay results have been received the Company will undertake metallurgical testing to further advance the development of this project
White Cliff Managing Director Todd Hibberd said: "Initial assays at Coronation Dam validate the historical drilling and demonstrate the high grade nature of the mineralisation. We were surprised at the 550 metres wide zone of cobalt mineralisation and at the thickness of some of the intervals which are better than anticipated. Further assay results should be available shortly and on receipt of the final drilling results the Company will be in a position to select samples for metallurgical testing".
Cobalt and nickel assays are summarised below rather than annotating the cross section due to number a results.
CDRC0054: No significant assay
CDRC0055: 9 metres at 0.04% cobalt and 0.71% nickel from 7 metres
CDRC0056: 12 metres at 0.05% cobalt and 0.93% nickel from 8 metres
CDRC0057: 12 metres at 0.03% cobalt and 0.76% nickel from surface
CDRC0058: 40 metres at 0.11% cobalt and 1.04% nickel from 16 metres including;
15 metres at 0.20% cobalt and 1.1% nickel from 29 metres
CDRC0059: 6 metres at 0.04% cobalt and 0.41% nickel from 19 metres
CDRC0060: 24 metres at 0.04% cobalt and 0.76% nickel from 20 metres
CDRC0061: 8 metres at 0.06% cobalt and 0.84% nickel from 8 metres and;
9 metres at 0.05% cobalt and 0.70% nickel from 24 metres
CDRC0062: 27 metres at 0.04% cobalt and 0.0% nickel from 13 metres
CDRC0063: 20 metres at 0.27% cobalt and 0.66% nickel from 20 metres including;
1 metre at 0.95% cobalt and 0.97% nickel from 31 metres and;
1 metre at 0.63% cobalt and 0.70% nickel from 35 metres
CDRC0064: 12 metres at 0.07% cobalt and 0.85% nickel from 36 metres
CDRC0065: 3 metres at 0.03% cobalt and 0.63% nickel from 66 metres
Geologically the mineralisation is occurring in extremely weathered clays which are derived from the underlying ultramafic rocks. The host rocks are rich in nickel with a background concentration of around 0.2% nickel. The deposit occurs on the side of a low hill and dips shallowly to the West.
The current interpretation is that additional ultramafic rock has weathered and shed from the hill and been incorporated in the deposit increasing the thickness of the mineralisation. Cobalt and nickel mineralisation are variable for hole to hole which reflects the variable composition and layering of the underlying ultramafic unit. It is thought that the ultramafic unit is sub vertical and tightly folded. Weathering of the unit and mobilisation of the soluble minerals has resulted in mass concentration of immobile elements such and nickel, cobalt and chrome.
The Coronation Dam Cobalt Project
The Coronation Dam Cobalt Project is located 90km south of Glencore's Murrin Murrin mining operation and 45km south of GME Resources' proposed Mt Kilkenny nickel-cobalt processing facility in WA's north-eastern goldfields (see Figure 2 in link below). The project is surrounded by world class mining infrastructure and multiple operating mines. Glencore is currently mining cobalt and nickel from the Murrin East open pit which contained an initial resource of 66 million tonnes at 1.1% nickel and 0.09% Cobalt.
The Coronation Dam project area covers 16km2 and contains an outcropping ultramafic unit that is approximately 1 kilometre wide and 5.7 kilometres long within the tenement.
Cobalt-nickel mineralisation occurs as a shallow layer of cobalt-enriched manganiferous oxides that form between the smectite clays and the overlying ferruginous clays. High grade cobalt mineralisation typically occurs between the surface and 50 metres depth and is associated with nickel mineralisation.
Existing drilling has only partly tested the mapped ultramafic unit, indicating there is potential to identify significant additional mineralisation.
The proximity of Coronation Dam to the Murrin Murrin nickel refinery is likely to have a strong, positive impact on the possibility of economic development of both the cobalt and nickel mineralisation. While the Company has not yet calculated a mineral resource, it is clear that the potential exists for the project to host one of substantial size.
To view tables and figures, please visit:
http://abnnewswire.net/lnk/Q255DKI0
About White Cliff Minerals Ltd:
White Cliff Minerals is a Gold, Copper, Cobalt, Nickel resources and mining company listed in Australia (ASX:WCN). The Company is focused on developing low cost high value mineral deposits that have near term cash flow potential.
Major projects include the Aucu gold deposit that contains 484,000 ounces of gold (3mt at 5.1 g/t) starting at surface and Chanach copper deposit that contains 64,000 tonnes of copper (17.2Mt at 0.37% copper). Both projects have substantial blue sky potential with drilling covering only 5% of the known structures. In Australia the company is developing the Coronation Dam cobalt–nickel deposit where a maiden resource will be announced in the late 2018.
Contact:
White Cliff Minerals Ltd.
Todd Hibberd Managing Director
T: +61-8-9321-2233
E: info@wcminerals.com.au
www.wcminerals.com.au
