Latest Hole Intersects Massive Sulphide Stringers In Botswana
Si6 Metals Limited (ASX: Si6) has received positive assay results from completed diamond drill hole MADD0153 at its Maibele Project in Botswana.
The Maibele North hole successfully intersected massive sulphide stringers and heavily disseminated sulphides in interpreted ultramafic rock types indicating that the nickel sulphide hosting horizon continues for at least 50 metres towards the northeast.
Chairman, Patrick Holywell, said the narrow zone intersected indicates that the hole has hit the up or down dip edge, or a possible pinch point, of the MARD0094 mineralised body and as such, provides confirmation that the mineralised system is still present along strike.
“The nearby Selebi Phikwe mining operation was placed on care and maintenance some five years ago due to low base metal prices and high operational costs,” Mr Holywell said.
“However, recent events indicate that the mine is one step closer to restarting. The Maibele North resource has a strike length of circa 800m and studies were undertaken on an open pit mine plan for Maibele North with the resource to feed the plant at Selebi Phikwe.
“Of importance is the fact that these studies were only based on drilling results from 2014 and prior. Major drilling programme were undertaken subsequently in 2015/16 and we have now done just a single step out hole.
“Drilling subsequent to the studies undertaken by Worley Parsons, saw numerous broad zones of sulphide mineralisation intersected within the Maibele North orebody as well as significant massive and disseminated sulphide zones along strike to the east and west giving a total strike length of circa 1.4km of continuous nickel sulphide intersections.
“The nickel sulphide intersections from the last hole drilled some 5 years ago (MARD0094) as well as this current hole (MADD0153) are located some 200 vertical metres below the bottom of the Maibele North resource and demonstrate the significant potential for further discovery at depth beneath the entire 1.4km strike of the Maibele North nickel sulphide body.
“We had planned to complete a down-hole electromagnetic survey on this current hole to test for off- hole conductors however this has been delayed due to the very unfortunate diagnosis of a COVID-19 case in a key member of our Botswana exploration team and resourcing issues.
“Our top priority at all times is the health and safety of our staff, contractors and the communities in which we operate.”
Designed to test for the continuation of nickel sulphide mineralisation previously intersected in historic hole MARD0094 in 2014, MADD0153 was drilled approximately 50m to the northeast and designed to test the mineralised horizon at about the same vertical depth. The Maibele North project contains a JORC Inferred resource along a strike length of circa 770m, with known extensions of 475m to the north-east and 125m south-west forming a total strike length of circa 1.4km of continuous nickel sulphide intersections.
MARD0094 and MADD0153 nickel sulphide intersections are located some 200 vertical metres below the bottom of the current resource and demonstrate the significant potential for further discovery at depth beneath the entire 1.4km strike of the Maibele North nickel sulphide body. Mineralisation remains open to the east, west and at depth.
