Drilling at Belele. Source: Desert Metals
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  • Desert Metals (DM1) begins a five-hole drilling program at the Belele project in WA
  • Drilling is testing a model conductor which is semi-coincident with a magnetic anomaly that holds potential for volcanogenic massive sulphide (VMS)-style mineralisation
  • The company will also start a 44-hole aircore drilling program at the Innouendy nickel project next week
  • Next week’s drilling program will aim to test platinum group element (PGE) anomalism and follow up on an EM anomaly that is adjacent to historical nickel anomalism
  • Company shares ended Thursday’s session 2.27 per cent in the red to close at 43 cents

Desert Metals (DM1) has begun a five-hole reverse circulation (RC) program at the Belele project in the Murchison province of Western Australia.

The 1100-metre drilling effort is designed to test a model conductor which was identified through an airborne electromagnetic (EM) survey and confirmed by ground EM data.

Desert said the conductor is semi-coincident with a bullseye magnetic anomaly and it is believed to represent sulphides associated with volcanogenic massive sulphide (VMS)-style mineralisation.

In addition, the company is preparing to start drilling over at the Innouendy nickel project next week.

The 44-hole aircore drilling program is designed to test platinum group element (PGE) anomalism found in recent diamond drilling and soil geochemistry at the WA-based project.

The program will also follow up on an airborne EM anomaly that sits adjacent to nickel anomalism in historical drilling. The anomaly is located 100 metres from a historical drill hole which returned 0.59 per cent nickel over a 14-metre interval which were the highest nickel values recorded in that drilling program, however the values were never followed up.

Desert Metals’ intention to conduct drilling at the Belele and Innouendy projects was made clear prior to the Christmas and New Year break. At that time, Desert had completed the relevant heritage surveys, which it said was an ‘important step forward’ in its relationship with the Wajarri Yamatji Traditional Owners.

Company shares ended Thursday’s session 2.27 per cent in the red to close at 43 cents.

DM1 by the numbers
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