A new mineral resource estimate (MRE) completed for Auroch Minerals’ Saints nickel project in Western Australia has upgraded a significant portion of the nickel resource from inferred to indicated status.
Based on infill diamond drilling completed earlier this year, the results significantly increase the confidence level of the resource, with two-thirds of the contained nickel metal now in the indicated category.
The infill drilling also enabled a tighter control on the modelling of the mineralised zones, which successfully increased the average nickel grade by 15 per cent when compared to the previous JORC Saints mineral resource estimate.
Auroch managing director Aidan Platel said the new MRE would now form the basis for the mine design and optimisation studies.
“With the metallurgical testwork nearing completion and looking great, we are drawing closer to completing what we believe will be a very positive scoping study for the Saints project,” he said.