This Project Summary was last updated 2009-06-23 01:51:58.
The North Ironcap Gold Project is located in the Forrestania region of Western Australia, approx. 12km north of Western Area’s Flying Fox nickel sulphide deposit.
The North Ironcap Project (tenement M77/544 comprising 4.43 sq km) contains four occurrences of gold mineralisation in the southern portion of the project area that underwent considerable drilling, metallurgical test work and pit design work in the late 1990’s. Best intersections from previous RC drilling in this area included: 13m @3.88g/t Au from 26m; 23m @ 2.17 g/t Au from16m and 13m @ 4.89 g/t Au from surface.
Our Exploration Team completed a substantial amount of preparatory field work and permitting during Q2 2011 and is now ready to test gold, nickel, manganese and iron targets with RC and diamond drilling during Q3 and Q4. Direct exploration cash expenditure during the Q was $0.9M. The Exploration Manager has set out the work completed during Q2 2011 in his report that follows.
In August 2011 we’ll commence RC drill testing a number of deep nickel sulphides targets at the Forrestania Project. These have been generated after a detailed study of the projects geology, geochemistry and geophysical data sets. Shortly thereafter we’ll commence a comprehensive RC drill program aimed at identifying high grade gold and nickel sulphides at Lake Johnston. We’re particularly excited about the gold drilling because the targets are robust and the gold price is high. Any gold exploration success at Lake Johnston should result in an immediate re-rating of the share price. The opportunity to put together the Company’s first mineral resource is likely to come from an RC and diamond drill program planned for manganese at the Jigalong Project late in Q3 or early Q4. An exploration budget of $4.5M has been set aside for the balance of 2011.
During the Q it was announced that Hannans’ iron and manganese projects would be developed within a new company owned 100% by existing Hannans shareholders. The Record Date for determining entitlement to the ‘spin out’ has been amended, as required by ASX, to a date to be fixed after consideration of the matter by shareholders. All details will be contained in a Notice of Meeting to be lodged in August 2011.
HANNANS INVESTMENT MANAGEMENT
At the end of the Q the equity and convertible loan portfolio was worth approximately $28.7M and the cash at bank $0.7M. No material purchases or sales of listed or unlisted equities took place during the Q. The equity portfolio will be sold down as and when required to fund exploration and working capital.
Field reconnaissance activities at the Forrestania Project have identified BIF outcrop in a number of locations at the Beautiful Sunday West Prospect area (E77/1512). The extensive BIF outcrop has confirmed the presence of greenstone stratigraphy in the area and has also significantly increased the probability of identifying ultramafic lithologies in the area.
A gravity survey has also been completed over the Beautiful Sunday West Prospect; the survey has helped to confirm the presence of greenstone lithologies west of the Beautiful Sunday Deposit (owned by Western Areas NL).
Surface auger sampling has been completed over the western ultramafic within the Stormbreaker Prospect on tenements E77/1354, E77/1406, E77/1430, P77/3607, P77/3848 and P77/3849 for a total of 3,152 samples, assays results are pending.
Wide spaced auger sampling has also been completed at the Stormbreaker North area (M77/693), assays results have been received. The data has been processed and has confirmed that the central ultramafic unit continues north on to tenement M77/693.
Gold anomalism has been identified in historical RAB drilling north-west of the Forrestania Project-Skeleton Rocks Prospect, an Exploration License application (ELA77/1846) has been processed by the DMP.
Queen Victoria Rocks Project
RC percussion drilling commenced at the Benari Prospect within the Queen Victoria Rocks Project area. A total of 6 holes have been completed for 1,478 metres. The drilling to date has intersected amphibolites, komatiitic and granitic lithologies. Assays have been received for three holes with no significant assays to report.
Lake Johnston Project
Gravity surveys were completed over the Ernest and Hardcore prospect areas; the surveys have shown that the gold mineralisation at both prospects is associated with a steep gravity gradient. The gravity gradient is interpreted to represent a large scale structure.
A twelve hole reverse circulation (RC) drilling program has been completed for 2,446 metres at the Forrestania Project. Favourable ultramafic host rock lithologies have been confirmed from the drilling
Surface TEM traverses have been completed over the central ultramafic corridor at Forrestania. The survey has generated TEM anomaly coincident with an historic soil anomaly (PAC_007)
Ongoing RC percussion drilling at Forrestania expected to commence during the December quarter
Queen Victoria Rocks Project - Nickel
Hannans auger sampling has been processed resulting in two priority anomalies being generated over the western ultramafic contact position (EMT5 prospect area) at Forrestania
Three discrete moving loop electromagnetic (EM) anomalies have been identified from recently completed geophysical surveys at the Queen Victoria Rocks Project (Benari Prospect). The EM anomalies are coincident with helicopter borne VTEM anomalies and historical geochemical (nickel and copper) anomalies announced on 19 May 2010
Reverse circulation drill testing of nickel sulphide targets at the Benari Prospect is being planned for the coming Quarter
Summary of Activities
Hannans exploration activities are aimed at identifying an economic nickel sulphide deposit (internal target) in excess of 30Kt of contained nickel metal (i.e. stand alone operation) characterised by high tenor (i.e. the percentage of pentlandite relative to pyrrhotite)nickel sulphides. The target model is characterised by a small 'foot print' generally 200m to 300m in strike extent and 5m to 20m width but with a very elongated (+1km) linear down-dip extent. This makes exploration for such an ore body with surface EM methods technically challenging, particularly more so in a conductive environment.
A twelve hole reverse circulation (RC) drilling program has been completed for 2,446 metres.
1,114, auger samples,91soil samples, 12 rock chip samples, and 7 drill spoil samples were collected during the quarter.
19 line km’s of MLEM, and 2 line km’s of fixed loop TEM were completed during the quarter.
Down-hole TEM has been completed on 10 holes.
Drilling was targeting coincident VTEM and surface TEM anomalies which have been confirmed by the drilling to be conductive sedimentary units (BIF).
Surface TEM traverses completed over the central ultramafic corridor has generated a TEM anomaly coincident with an historic soil anomaly PAC_007.
Hannans auger sampling has been processed resulting in two priority anomalies being generated over the western ultramafic contact position (EMT5 Prospect).
Geological interpretation of the Beautiful Sunday West (BSW) prospect has indicated that the stratigraphy, which is host to the Beautiful Sunday (disseminated) and Flying Fox (massive) deposits (both owned by Western Areas Ltd), is structurally repeated to the west and may extend into the Hannans tenements in this area.
Mr Huntly’s background includes Chief Exploration Geologist for Xstrata Nickel Australasia (October 2008 – December 2009), District Exploration Manager for Jubilee Mines NL (February 2004 – October 2008) and Exploration Project Manager for Goldfields of South Africa
Mr Huntly’s nickel experience will add significant value to Hannans’ nickel sulphide exploration projects at Forrestania, Lake Johnston and Queen Victoria Rocks
You are welcome to listen to an audio broadcast with Mr Damian Hicks, Managing Director titled "Forrestania Project Exploration Update" which provides insights to the following issues:
Drill holes completed and how many more in the current program
Other exploration activities in Forrestania
Reason for delay in drilling program
Future drilling program - Phase 2
Finance at Hannans Reward
Comments to the Rudd Government's super profit tax
Government approvals process delays RC drilling (originally scheduled to commence mid March 2010)
All required approvals now received, drill pads and access pads cleared, drilling scheduled to commence early May
Final processing & interpretation of helicopter borne VTEM survey produces additional electromagnetic (EM) anomalies at Stormbreaker*, Skeleton Rocks and Lucy Rocks Prospects
Review of historical ground geophysical surveys identifies 5 new EM anomalies located within Stormbreaker Prospect Ground EM surveying of these 5 new EM anomalies produces 8 new RC drill targets
Multiple tenement applications made
Field reconnaissance of newly applied for tenements confirms the presence of prospective ultramafic stratigraphy
Anomalous rock chip returns values including: 1055ppm Ni, 529ppm Cu, 1360ppm Cr and 35ppb Pt
Lake Johnston Project
Review of historical ground geophysical surveys identifies 3 new EM anomalies
Follow-up ground geophysical surveys to be completed during May
Queen Victoria Rocks Project
Hannans/Vale joint venture comes to an end
Hannans retains 100% of project and will review data before planning next phase of exploration
Jigalong Project
370 surface samples collected
Sunday Project
Results pending from three diamond drill holes completed by joint venture partner
Hannans Secures prospective ground at Forrestania Project
Forrestania Agreement with St Barbara Ltd and Kagara Ltd varied to provide Hannans with 100% interest in nickel rights - up from 85% - in return for Hannans assuming Kagara royalty and nickel treatment obligations.
100% ownership of nickel rights provides Hannans with various options to accelerate exploration activities over consolidated Forrestania project.
Reverse circulation (RC) drilling has commenced at Hannans’ Lake Johnston gold project
25 RC holes for approximately 1,875 metres will be drilled to test a 2 kilometre long gold anomalous corridor that remains open at either end
No drilling has ever occurred within the gold anomalous corridor currently being RC drill tested.
Gold target based on anomalous gold results obtained by Hannans from soil sampling, lake sampling and rock chip sampling.
Lake Johnston drilling is expected to be completed during September where after the rig will move to the Forrestania Project to test three geophysical targets prospective for nickel.
Initial results from Lake Johnston are expected in October.
Hannans reaches conditional agreement with Kagara Ltd (ASX:KZL) and St Barbara Ltd (ASX:SBM) in relation to nickel & gold tenure at Forrestania
Agreement provides Hannans with unencumbered 85% interest in highly prospective tenure within the world-class Forrestania nickel belt
Tenure is considered to be underexplored and covers interpreted northern extension of western ultramafic that hosts high grade nickel mines and deposits including Flying Fox, Lounge Lizard & Spotted Quoll
Ground position adjacent to Hannans’ existing Stormbreaker Project enables the first nickel and gold exploration program in more than 10 years to cover the full width of interpreted ultramafic
Hannans to become controlling holder of northern extension of western ultramafic
A reverse circulation (RC) drill rig is scheduled to return to the Forrestania
Project in February 2008. The RC programme is being planned to test both
nickel and gold targets
Results from the RAB drilling programme to test for northerly extensions to the known
North Ironcap gold resources have been returned and indicate some potential for further
gold mineralization within the ferruginous chert, which hosts the gold mineralization to the
south. Reverse circulation (RC) drilling will be required to assess this target horizon
further.
The Company has recommenced gold exploration at Forrestania. Initially this comprises data
review and field verification. It is anticipated that the first regional drill programme testing for
gold mineralisation will commence early next Quarter.
Hannans Reward (ASX:HNR) has increased its interest in the strategically important Forrestania
Joint Venture to 80%, following the acquisition of an additional 30% from Cullen Resources Ltd
(ASX:CUL) for $250,000.
Further exploration for gold and base metals is planned at the Forrestania Joint Venture although
no significant assay results were returned from the recently completed reverse circulation drill
program.
The Forrestania Joint Venture (Hannans Reward 50% and Cullen Resources 50%) has recently
completed a second ground geophysical (EM) survey at the Stormbreaker Prospect and has
identified a third EM conductor.
Stormbreaker – identification of two separate, deep, late time ground
geophysical anomalies which may indicate the presence of sulphides
at depth; drill testing planned for August
Other – The Joint Venture recently made an application for a new
exploration licence between the Stormbreaker and North Ironcap
prospects, that will, subject to grant, extend and consolidate the Joint
Venture's tenement package in the region (see Figure) to cover ~22km
of highly prospective stratigraphy