A technical report has supported the excellent exploration potential of Asian Mineral Resources’ regional exploration prospects at the Ta Khoa concession in Son La Province, Vietnam. The concession covers a 49.7sqkm area surrounding the Ban Phuc Nickel Mine.
The technical information, based on drilling, geophysics, geochemistry and structural analysis completed to date, suggests attractive exploration potential for both high-grade massive sulphide deposits, as well as large-tonnage, lower-grade disseminated sulphide deposits.
The report highlights the potential of the area due to nearby analogous nickel/copper deposits across the border in China, as well as the giant Norilsk-Talnakh system in Russia, which is identical in age.
Not only does the exploration potential suggest that additional massive sulphide deposits may exist in the area, but there is also potential for large-tonnage, lower-grade disseminated sulphide deposits - all of which could be processed using the existing Ban Phuc processing infrastructure, power, access roads and work camp, which remain in good order due to the current care and maintenance program.
Exploration efforts made thus far have advanced several historical prospects and have also resulted in the discovery of new prospects, including Kingsnake, Suoi Phang, Ban Mong, Ban Khang, and Ban Khoa.
The massive sulphide vein mineral resource at Ban Phuc mine has been depleted, having been mined from 2013 to 2016, however, all processing infrastructure, power, access roads and site-based accommodation remains in good order.
Given the existence of this modern infrastructure, the threshold size requirement for a new massive or matrix sulphide discovery is considerably smaller than for a purely greenfields exploration play.
Asian Mineral Resources