Perth, Oct 29, 2008 AEST (ABN Newswire) - Barra Resources Limited (ASX:BAR) and joint venture partner Fission Energy Limited ("Fission") are pleased to announce the identification of several nickel sulphide gossans located immediately east of the Mt Thirsty Cobalt-Nickel-Manganese deposit, 20 kilometres north-northwest of Norseman in southern Western Australia.
Highlights
- Identified nickel-sulphide gossans adjacent to the Mt Thirsty Co-Ni-Mn oxide deposit that may indicate a proximal source of primary nickel sulphide.
- Gossans have returned up to 7,500ppm Nickel (0.75% Ni)
- Mineralisation style comparable to Mirabela Nickel Limited's Santa Rita deposit in Brazil
- Follow-up detailed Induced Polarisation and ground Electromagnetic geophysical surveys planned.
Nickel Sulphide Gossans Identified
A surface reconnaissance rock-chip sampling program searching for nickel sulphide mineralisation adjacent to the Mt Thirsty cobalt-nickel-manganese resource was recently undertaken. Several gossanous samples representing possible disseminated sulphide mineralisation associated with a pyroxenite-dunite contact were collected (See Figure 1). The exploration strategy was based on a geological model similar to Mirabela Nickel Limited's Santa Rita deposit in Brazil which contains approximately 130 million tonnes @ 0.60% nickel. At Santa Rita, disseminated nickel sulphide ore is situated at the base of a large gabbro intrusion with a dunite footwall containing a modest lateritic nickel resource. The geological setting at Mt Thirsty is very similar with the main Co-Ni-Mn oxide resource also hosted within a dunite. The large gabbroic regionally extensive Mt Thirsty intrusion, potentially hosting disseminated nickel sulphide mineralisation at its base, is located immediately east of the oxide deposit.
The samples were analysed for a suite of elements that aid in identifying surface expressions of nickel sulphide mineralisation. The results are tabled below.
Table 1: Gossan rock-chip assay results.
---------------------------------------------Sample Ni Cu Zn Palladium Iron (ppm) (ppm) (ppm) (ppb) (%)---------------------------------------------MTROCK017 2,820 141 347 64 53.2MTROCK018 2,223 203 302 116 49.9MTROCK019 3,217 194 309 60 52.1MTROCK020 2,724 140 290 79 46.1MTROCK022 7,537 41 351 32 48.7MTROCK026 4,079 153 432 54 53.3MTROCK027 3,488 111 400 62 56.3MTROCK028 5,280 56 320 88 54.7MTROCK029 6,728 20 560 728 29.7---------------------------------------------
The sampling program targeted high grade cobalt-nickel oxide mineralisation in MTAC179 believed to be adjacent to the gabbro/dunite contact. Samples MTROCK017-020 and MTROCK026-029 returned encouraging results indicating the presence of primary disseminated nickel sulphide mineralisation. These samples are located just 30-40 metres east of MTAC179. An additional gossan was also located 550 metres to the north along the same contact (MTROCK022). This particular sample also returned encouraging nickel values.
Further analysis of the results along with additional field studies will continue in conjunction with planning of appropriate geophysical surveys to define and test the pyroxenite/dunite footwall contact prior to preliminary drill testing.
About the Mt Thirsty Cobalt-Nickel-Manganese Project
The Mt Thirsty Project is located 20 kilometres north-northwest of Norseman, Western Australia. The project is under a 50/50 joint venture between Barra Resources Limited and Meteore Metals Limited, a 100% owned subsidiary of Fission Energy Limited. The project contains JORC Indicated and Inferred resources totalling 29 million tonnes at 0.55% Nickel, 0.12% Cobalt and 0.88% Manganese over an apparent strike of 1.3 kilometres and a width of around 800 metres. The Joint Venture parties are currently working on a pre-feasibility study due for completion in mid 2009.
NOTE:
The information in this report that relates to Exploration Results, Mineral Resources or Ore Reserves is based on information compiled by Dean Goodwin who is a Member of the Australian Institute of Geoscientists. Dean Goodwin is a full-time employee of the Company. Dan Goodwin has sufficient experience which is relevant to the style of mineralisation and type of deposit under consideration and to the activity which he is undertaking to qualify as a Competent Person as defined in the 2004 Edition of the "Australasian Code for Reporting of Exploration Results, Mineral Resources and Ore Reserves". Dean Goodwin consents to the inclusion in the report of the matters based on his information in the form and context in which it appears.
Contact
Dean Goodwin
Managing Director
Barra Resources Limited
Telephone: +61 (08) 9481 3911
Facsimile: +61 (08) 9481 3955
Email: info@barraresources.com.au
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