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  • Essential Metals (ESS) strikes multiple nickel sulphide intercepts during its first drilling program at the Golden Ridge joint venture project in Western Australia
  • The project, which hosts the Blair Nickel Mine, is currently managed by the Australian Nickel Company (ANCO) through a farm-in joint venture agreement
  • An initial reverse circulation program spanning 20 holes was drilled by ANCO, with all five targets intersecting mineralisation
  • The next phase of work will focus on Blair South, where historical samples will be re-assayed for platinum group elements
  • Essential Metals last traded at 37 cents on July 18

Essential Metals (ESS) has struck multiple nickel sulphide intercepts during its first drilling program at the Golden Ridge project in Western Australia.

The Golden Ridge project is located 30 kilometres from Kalgoorlie-Boulder and hosts the Blair Nickel Mine. The project is currently managed by the Australian Nickel Company (ANCO) through a farm-in joint venture agreement.

ANCO drilled an initial reverse circulation program spanning 20 holes, along with an accompanying down-hole electromagnetic (DHEM) survey.

Five targets that had been previously identified by ANCO were drilled, including Blair South, N10C, Blair Footwall, Elias and Reeve – all of which intersected nickel mineralisation.

Assay results from the program included 25 metres at 0.8 per cent nickel and 994 parts per million (ppm) copper, including six metres at 2.22 per cent nickel and 2,514 ppm copper from 119 metres.

Essential Metals Managing Director Tim Spencer said the success of the first drill programme is testament to the rigorous review and analysis ANCO has undertaken since the commencement of the farm in.

“Intersecting significant nickel mineralisation at all five targets bodes well for the future exploration and we look forward to ANCO’s next exploration programmes being implemented,” Tim Spencer said.

The next phase of work will target Blair South, where historical samples will be re-assayed for platinum group elements within the mineralised envelope.   

Essential Metals last traded at 37 cents on July 18.

ESS by the numbers
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