The Ardea WA tenure represents a large strategic land holding in one of Australia’s premier nickel sulphide and gold provinces. Ardea has several additional project mineralisation styles outside of the KNP – Goongarrie Hub goethite. In addition to the other laterite hosted nickel-cobalt opportunities, in 2022, Ardea identified the emerging nickel sulphide camp at Emu Lake, KNP. The discovery of massive nickel-copper-PGE sulphides in the highly underexplored Kurnalpi terrane is very significant. Additionally, Ardea’s tenure also hosts other significant “greenfields” potential for nickel sulphide, LCT, REE and/or gold mineralisation.
Perrinvale nickel sulphide prospect
Perrinvale is located approximately 100km west of Leonora. The Ardea exploration model is based on recent nickel sulphide discoveries immediately west of Perrinvale made by St George Mining. Regional magnetic data highlights that the feature which hosts the St George Mining nickel sulphide discoveries within the Cathedrals Belt, has an east-northeast strike and extends into Perrinvale. At Perrinvale, this prospective trend is overlain by transported cover, requiring geophysical methods such as moving loop Electro Magnetic (MLEM) surveys for exploration targeting.
MLEM surveys have been completed by Ardea over three separate zones at Perrinvale with a consultant’s field report received during the December 2019 Quarter which recommended follow-up exploration including shallow aircore drilling beneath transported cover to determine basement geology and the geochemical signature associated with the EM anomalies defined. Surface EM surveys were recommended over the areas not covered by the initial trial survey.