COLLURABBIE JOINT VENTURE - Western Australia
Nickel, Copper and Platinum Group Elements Project
Falcon 30%, BHP Billiton 70%
The Collurabbie Project is located 160 km east of Mt Keith and 200 kilometres north of Laverton in the North Eastern Goldfields of Western Australia. Previous exploration at Collurabbie discovered disseminated nickel-copper-platinum group element (Ni-Cu-PGE) sulphide mineralisation, followed by the discovery of the first massive nickel sulphides at the Olympia prospect (see Figure 1, Table 1). The discovery at Olympia is considered significant in that it bears similarities to the high-grade Raglan Ni-Cu-PGE deposits in Canada, and as such represents a style of mineralisation not encountered previously in Australia, and potentially a new Ni-Cu-PGE province.
During the year, the Joint Venture operating partner, BHP-Billiton (BHPB) has been unable to allocate additional on-ground resources to the development of the Collurabbie project due to its operational commitments elsewhere.
Consequently, Falcon have entered into negotiations with BHPB to re-structure the terms of the Joint Venture Agreement that will see the recommencement of exploration over the Collurabbie Project in late 2009/2010.
Figure 1:
Collurabbie anairborne EM conductivity (at 200m) with significant nickel sulphide drill intercepts.
Table 1: Peak Results from Olympia Prospect
* Pt+Pd only
In the meantime, the Collurabbie Project has undergone a period of intensive review to determine the effectiveness of previous exploration efforts and to develop new drill targets using re-processed 3D geological, geochemical and geophysical datasets including:
Re-modelled down-hole electromagnetic (DHEM) data,
New conductivity depth images (CDIs) derived from GEOTEM data and
Solid Earth Models using 3D magnetic and gravity inversion data to identify the key geophysical properties of
fertile ultramafic horizons.
These data allow for fully-integated targeting and highlighted additional drilling targets at the Olympia, Rhodes, Agora and Paros prospects (Figure 1) which are highly prospective for the discovery of further nickel sulphide mineralisation.
Work proposed for 2009-2010 includes:
Infill diamond drilling at Olympia to better define the down-plunge and strike extent of the massive sulphide
lenses. 3D visualisation of modelled downhole EM data indicates a northerly plunge to the massive sulphide
shoots with limited previous drill testing (Figure 2).
Deeper diamond drilling at Agora to test southerly plunging GeoFerret EM plates beneath widespread nickel-
copper-PGE enrichment in shallow drilling.
Step-out diamond drilling at Rhodes to test modelled GeoFerret EM plates and to better define nickel sulphide
lenses intersected in earlier diamond drillhole CLD153 (4m @ 1.34% Ni, 3830ppm Cu, 285ppb Pt).
Figure 2: Olympia Prospect. Line-of-lode long section with modelled DHEM plates in red
In addition to targeted diamond drilling, further first-pass nickel exploration is also scheduled for 2010 to test widespread Ni-Cu-PGE anomalism in deflation lag samples, and coincident electromagnetic conductors, over a 5km N-S trending zone to the south of Olympia (Figure 1). This area has received very little attention over the years with broad-spaced aircore drilling only.
Ground access at Collurabbie has previously been restricted by the lack of Heritage Clearances. To address this issue, Ethnographic and Archaeological Surveys were also completed during the year.
©Falcon Minerals Limited MMIV
|
