{"id":25391,"date":"2022-09-13T08:40:21","date_gmt":"2022-09-13T07:40:21","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.innovationnewsnetwork.com\/?p=25391"},"modified":"2022-09-14T09:19:26","modified_gmt":"2022-09-14T08:19:26","slug":"platinum-group-element-exploration-mt-thirsty-project","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.innovationnewsnetwork.com\/platinum-group-element-exploration-mt-thirsty-project\/25391\/","title":{"rendered":"Platinum group element exploration begins at Mt Thirsty project"},"content":{"rendered":"

Drilling has begun at the Mt Thirsty Joint Venture project in Australia, exploring the next big platinum group element (PGE) and battery metal deposit.<\/h2>\n

The Mt Thirsty Joint Venture (MTJV) is owned 50% by Conico Ltd<\/a> (ASX:CNJ) and 50% by Greenstone Resources Ltd<\/a> (ASX:GSR), who have contracted a multipurpose diamond and reverse circulation rig for its maiden 5,000m drill programme with five holes already completed (as of 2 September 2022). The target is a sulphide-hosted PGE mineralisation, which was intersected by neighbouring Galileo Mining at their Callisto project, with the discovery drill hole located only 200m north of the MTJV tenement boundary. Gold, copper and nickel are also associated with PGE mineralisation.<\/p>\n

Unearthing PGE mineralisation<\/h3>\n

Galileo recently announced (GAL, ASX Announcement, 11 May 2022) the completion of six reverse circulation drill holes at Callisto, targeting a sulphide-rich zone near the basal contact between an ultramafic sill and a package of sedimentary rocks. A first appraisal of the results from the Callisto discovery by Galileo shows similarities in mineralisation style to the Platreef deposit from the Bushveld Complex in South Africa. The Bushveld Complex hosts a large ultramafic layered intrusion (the same intrusion type seen at Mt Thirsty), which contains several world-class PGE deposits. Platreef\u2019s current indicated Mineral Resources are 346 million tonnes grading 3.77 g\/t 3E+Au (1.68 g\/t platinum, 1.70 g\/t palladium, 0.11 g\/t rhodium, 0.28 g\/t gold), 0.32% nickel and 0.16% copper at a 2.0 g\/t cut-off.<\/p>\n

Assay results are due to be received soon for the first five MTJV drill holes; however, all holes drilled to date have intercepted wide zones of semi-massive and\/or heavily disseminated sulphides, serving to define a prospective exploration horizon of at least 300 x 400m on the MTJV tenure, which remains open in all directions. Sulphide mineralisation was intercepted at the depth modelled by MTJV geologists, adding confidence to the remaining drill programme. Over the next six to eight weeks, the MTJV will complete an additional 15 holes as part of an aggressive phase-one drill programme. Contingent plans are already in place for the phase-two drill programme, pending receipt of phase-one assays.<\/p>\n

Significant intercepts from the Callisto discovery hole NRC266 drilled by Galileo during their tenure include:<\/p>\n