AZ9 preps for more copper-nickel drilling
Six Priority-1 plates were identified with strong geophysical responses in favourable geological settings
Follow-up drilling and downhole EM surveys will restart in two weeks
Special Report: Ongoing ground-based EM surveying has revealed multiple conductive plates aligning with known structures at the Oval copper-nickel project in Mongolia, bolstering Asian Battery Metals' confidence ahead of more drilling.
Asian Battery Metals' (ASX:AZ9) field crew has completed data acquisition of FLEM data using 18 loops of 400 m x 400 m and 2 loops of 1,000 m x 600 m, covering the initially planned areas of Oval and the expanded areas of Quartz Hill, MS1, and MS2.
Using two different sets of loop configurations, 29 conductive plates have been identified at four distinct areas at just the halfway point of AZ9's SAMSON electromagnetic program.
Three of the nine plates measured by the 1000m x 600m loops coincided with plates derived from interpretation of 400 x 400m loop measurements.
A total of six Priority-1 FLEM plates were identified in the North Oval and Oval areas, exhibiting conductivities ranging from 5,000 to 60,000 Siemens, and modelled at subsurface depths between 38m and 101m from surface.
Priority-1 plates represent the most prospective targets, defined by their strong spatial correlation with magnetic anomalies and favourable geological settings.
These plates are also considered significant for their potential to extend known zones of massive sulphide mineralisation or highly mineralised gabbroic bodies intercepted in earlier drilling.
South Area plate modelling
In the South Area, a coincident elevated magnetic response, structural priority area and higher conductivity has been delineated in geophysical surveys.
The trend observed in the geophysical datasets aligns closely with the Oval Ni-Cu mineralised intrusive body, pointing to the possibility of similar, offset, and buried mineralisation nearby.
In the West area, gradient array IP survey data has outlined a northwest–southeast trending zone of low resistivity along a structurally controlled zone, with three FLEM plates modelled.
Asian Battery Metals says these plates exhibit consistent alignment along the geophysical data's interpreted trend, which warrants further investigation.
The company is currently expanding the EM survey in this area to verify whether these are valid conductive targets.
More from AZ9: Critical Mongolian minerals potential growing at Oval
'Most compelling targets to date'
Asian Battery Metals managing director Gan-Ochir Zunduisuren said the ongoing EM survey has delivered what the company hoped for – multiple shallow, coherent conductors that coincide with existing geological and geophysical datasets.
'These represent some of our most compelling targets to date, and we're excited to test them with drilling over the coming weeks,' he said.
'The SAMSON EM program has been expanded and will now focus on deeper zones and nearby structures similar to the Oval copper-nickel discovery.'
The explorer is set to restart drilling in August, with further FLEM and MLEM surveys ongoing until mid-August.
Discovery of Oval
The Oval discovery was initially identified through drilling in October 2024 with further assay results in late 2024 and early 2025 confirming high-grade copper and nickel mineralisation.
The 2024 exploration campaign unearthed an 8.8m intersection grading 6.08% copper, 3.19% nickel, 1.63g/t E3 and 0.11% cobalt from 107.2m after four years of systematic exploration and the help of the BHP Xplor program in 2023.
This article was developed in collaboration with Asian Battery Metals, a Stockhead advertiser at the time of publishing.
This article does not constitute financial product advice. You should consider obtaining independent advice before making any financial decisions.
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