As International Nickel Ventures (INV-T) and Teck Cominco (TCK.B-T, TCK-N) continue to work toward a preliminary economic study of the Santa F and Ipora lateritic nickel deposits in Goias state, Brazil, infill drilling is proving the mineralized body to have remarkably consistent grades.
Vertical drilling at Santa F has returned grades mostly between 1.6% and 2% nickel, with 0.03% to 0.09% cobalt. The laterite is mainly 3.7 to 5 metres thick with 1 to 4 metres of overburden at the deposit.
Santa F consists of four areas, Southwest, about 3 by 1 km in area; Southeast, about the same size; Central, about 3 by 1.5 km; and North, about 1.4 km by 0.4 km.
At Ipora, the laterite is thicker, mainly 10 to 15 metres, and frequently below deeper overburden — usually 2 to 7 metres, but in one hole extending to 30 metres. Nickel grades in recent drill holes ranged from 1% to over 2%, but clustered around 1.6%; cobalt content was mostly between 0.05% and 0.1%, with occasional higher grades.
Of Ipora’s three zones, which cover about 9 sq. km, the Northeast is the largest, about 4 km long by 1 km wide. Extensions to the Northeast and Central zones have added about 2 sq. km to the area, known to be underlain by nickel-bearing laterite.
The second phase of the partners’ 18,000-metre program is complete, with a resource update planned. Ipora material is in for metallurgical testing, and environmental baseline studies are under way.
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