Ardea Resources (ASX:ARL) confirms high-grade hits from Highway

• Ardea Resources (ARL) confirms high-grade near surface nickel-cobalt mineralisation at its Highway deposit in Western Australia
• The company says the results validate mineralisation models used to generate a resource estimate
• These results included 42 metres at 0.77 per cent nickel and 0.11 per cent cobalt  
• This is said to confirm the expectation that high-magnesium mineralisation is suitable as an atmospheric leach feed
• Ardea Resources last traded at 72 cents on February 10

Ardea Resources (ARL) has confirmed high-grade near surface nickel-cobalt mineralisation at its Highway deposit, located within the Kalgoorlie Nickel project in Western Australia.

Core drilling at the deposit was the first field test of the Kalgoorlie Nickel Project low-carbon flowsheet model.

The drilling program was designed on the back of a resource estimation feasibility programs completed in the middle of last year.

With no metallurgical data for specific material types from historical PFS programs, the company completed core drilling to obtain suitable test material.

Now, diamond drill core has returned results that the company said validate its mineralisation models.

The pick of the intercepts includes 42 metres at 0.77 per cent nickel and 0.11 per cent cobalt from two metres, including 12 metres at 1.01 per cent nickel and 0.22 per cent cobalt from 16 metres, and six metres at 1 per cent nickel and 0.04 per cent cobalt from 38 metres.

According to Ardea the drill-core test material was also generated, specifically suited to High Pressure Acid Leach, Atmospheric Leach and Mineralised Neutraliser for a low carbon flowsheet.

The company noted “good correlation” between the new twin diamond drill holes and historic reverse circulation holes, providing confidence in the Highway Mineral Resource Estimate.

With the geological model now confirmed, Ardea’s Managing Director Andrew Penkethman said the company eagerly awaits results of the ALS benchscale metallurgy, testing the Highway flowsheet model pending.

“These results will feed into ongoing DFS work flows and continue to enhance the KNP Goongarrie Hub as a globally significant source of sustainable and ethical minerals to fuel the battery revolution,” Managing Director, Andrew Penkethman said.

Ardea Resources last traded at 72 cents on February 10.