An article by mining news prior to DM drilling Cheers Zubric...

An article by mining news prior to DM drilling
Cheers Zubric


Buxton seeks mineralised magic
Thursday, 6 August 2015 Jack McGinn
WESTERN Australia’s King Leopold Basin and Fraser Range regions couldn’t be much further apart, but for Buxton Resources’ pursuit of nickel mineralisation, the pair are just as significant.
Buxton has held its flagship Zanthus project in the Fraser Range for a number of years – initially focusing on iron mineralisation before switching focus to nickel-copper in April 2013.
The acquisition of the Double Magic nickel project near Derby in the WA’s
north came two years after to the month, but the unlikely coupling of the projects has prompted a flurry of explorative activity for Buxton.
The company is currently in the process of mobilising a drill rig from Zanthus to Double Magic, and will conduct the reverse trip once a reverse circulation drilling program is completed at the northern project.
Speaking to MiningNews Premium Buxton chief executive Eamon Hannon, previously director of exploration and evaluation at Fortescue Metals Group between 2004 and 2012, said while the economic climate was tough for explorers it had presented Buxton with opportunity.
“The low price of nickel and the poor time for the exploration sector in general has also brought about some advantages, such as the acquisition of the Double Magic project and the availability of mining services such as earthmoving companies and drilling rigs,” he said.
“We Believe at Buxton that right now is the perfect time to be exploring for nickel because great projects and services are available at realistic costs, not overinflated boom costs.
“We hope if we have success at one or more of our projects to the point where it becomes a mining development proposition that in the time it will take to get to production the market would have improved.”
Buxton also holds a second nickel project, Widowmaker, in the Fraser Range as well as a substantial graphite deposit 250km out of Meekatharra.
A Magical opportunity
The Double Magic project is located in a mirror tectonic position to Panoramic Resources’ Savannah Mine in the Kimberley, and contains rocks of a similar age as those at the operating mine.
Buxton acquired Double Magic in April by issuing the vendors 1.7 million shares, and must issue a further three tranches of shares with a total value of around $A120,000 in line with project milestones.
The project contains seven discrete bedrock conductors identified through electromagnetic drilling and
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Buxton drilling
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tested by four historical drill holes – two of which intersected nickel-copper mineralisation.
According to Hannon, recent mapping and rock chipping in recent weeks at the project has identified a number of nickeliferous gossans, with one as high as 6% nickel.
Hannon said the drill-ready nature of the project coupled with its location in a stable mining jurisdiction made it an attractive proposition for Buxton.
“We are astounded that there are so many obvious walk-up drill targets which haven’t been followed up or drilled at all literally from surface in Western Australia,” he said.
“We think it’s really unusual – this belt of rocks at Double Magic known as the ruins dolerite has never been explored for nickel in modern day terms.
“There’s an exciting opportunity both on the prospect scale and on the regional scale up there for significant nickel mineralisation.”
In the coming drill program Buxton intends to drill more than 2000m at Double Magic.
Persistence paramount in Fraser Range
The drilling recently carried out at Zanthus generated mixed results for Buxton, with one completed hole pending assays and the other suspended due to technical difficulties relating to running sands.
However the company is in the process of sourcing the steel casings required to complete what will be a 600m reverse circulation hole, and contractor WBH Drilling has agreed to return and complete the hole at no further cost once the drilling at Double Magic is finished.
Hannon said despite the difficulties that the Fraser Range was the right place to be exploring for nickel mineralisation, and that persistence was the key to success in the region.
“The reality of the Fraser Range for Buxton and I’d say all other explorers in the area is that the drill targets out there are high attrition by nature,” he said.
“Because we are in the right part of the Fraser Range it means when you drill a program and don’t manage to find the motherlode, you need to do what all good explorers do – have a tablespoon of perseverance for breakfast and go again.
“Buxton will do that – we’re a big believer in the Fraser Range province.”
He pointed to Sirius Resources’ Nova-Bollinger project as reason not to let up on the prowl for nickel mineralisation in the area.
“I truly hope that all the explorers in the Fraser Range continue and the momentum behind the region sustains us there,” he said.
“There cannot be only one Nova-Bollinger.”
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