Advanced exploration company Blackstone Minerals has discovered new nickel sulphide in a previously untested zone called the Taipan discovery zone (TDZ), within its Ta Cuong prospect at its Ta Khoa nickel-copper-platinum project in Vietnam.
In the first drilling at the TDZ, the hole is believed to have 39.70m of continuously disseminated sulphide (DSS), semi-massive sulphide vein (SMSV) and massive sulphide vein (MSV) in unweathered mineralisation from 15.15m.
According to Scott Williamson, managing director of Blackstone Minerals, this discovery could add significantly to its current nickel sulphide mining inventory. It could also help restart a 450,000mt concentrator near Ban Phuc—Blackstone’s MSV nickel mine.
The Ta Cuong prospect is 6km along strike from Ban Phuc and in proximity with Blackstone’s current MSV nickel mining zones, King Snake and Ban Chang. Williamson said that by combining the existing inventory with potential zones, and the ability to source third-party concentrates, the company can scale business to meet the rising demand for nickel.