- Blackstone Minerals (BSX) receives results from an initial drilling program at the Ban Khoa prospect within the Ta Khoa Project in Vietnam
- Drilling intersects 147 metres of disseminated nickel sulphides at the prospect, which supports an upstream business unit (UBU) pre-feasibility study (PFS)
- This work is assessing the potential to mine several higher grade deposits and restart the existing Ban Phuc Concentrator
- Blackstone expects to complete the UBU PFS, which will include a maiden resource for the Ban Khoa prospect, before the end of the year
- Company shares are up 2.17 per cent to trade at 47 cents at 11:12 am AEST
Blackstone Minerals (BSX) has received results from a maiden drilling program at the Ban Khoa prospect.
Ban Khoa is part of the northern Vietnam-based Ta Khoa Project, of which BSX owns a 90 per cent interest.
Best assays include 147 metres at 0.31 per cent nickel, 0.04 per cent copper, 0.01 per cent cobalt and 0.14 grams of platinum group elements (PGE) per tonne (g/t) from 62 metres, including 34.65 metres at 0.55 per cent nickel, 0.08 per cent copper, 0.01 per cent cobalt and 0.37g/t PGE from 103.7 metres.
Drilling at the prospect aimed to include Ban Khoa in the upcoming upstream business unit (UBU) pre-feasibility study (PFS).
The UBU PFS will assess the option to mine several higher grade massive sulphide vein (MSV) deposits which has the potential to reduce upfront capital costs by enabling BSX to restart the 450,000 tonnes per annum Ban Phuc Concentrator.
Managing Director Scott Williamson commented on the drill results.
“We are pleased to present the results of Blackstone’s first drill program at the Ban Khoa prospect. Ban Khoa is a bulk tonnage disseminated opportunity with excellent potential to complement mining and processing of material from the large Ban Phuc open pit orebody,” he said.
The company is edging closer to delivering a maiden resource for the Ban Khoa prospect as part of the UBU PFS. This is expected to be completed before the end of the year.
“We are confident that the current reported drilling results are indicative of the
significant geological upside that Blackstone will continue to unlock at our flagship Ta Khoa Nickel-Copper-PGE project.”
Company shares were up 2.17 per cent to trade at 47 cents at 11:12 am AEST.