Australia-based Auroch Minerals is set to drill 3000 meters at Nepean Nickel Project in Western Australia. Drilling will commence in July and will target nickel sulfide mineralization.
Production at Nepean Nickel mine had halted in 1987 owing to low nickel prices around $4,000/mt. In recent times, nickel prices have touched all-time highs and are forecast to grow further with high demand in the coming decades.
Nepean Nickel Project has mined more than 1mn mt of ore and 32,000mt nickel metal between 1970-1987. Auroch noted that the mineralization below the working mine has remained unexplored.
The company’s Flying Fox mine remains in operation, having mined up to 1,200m below the surface and has produced over 100,000mt of nickel to date, notes the company.
Auroch Minerals is a base metal miner headquartered and has units in Australia. The company produces nickel, copper, zinc, and cobalt.