Karelian Diamond Resources plc said indicator analyses of stream sampling confirmed nickel, copper and platinum group metals prospectivity at its three Northern Ireland licences.
ANOMALOUS
The stream sampling followed a 2021 programme which the Dublin-based company said had suggested the potential for the metals.
A total 33 follow-up stream sediment samples, each weighing an average 18kg, were collected over approximately 750km2.
“The results of this programme, taken in conjunction with results from the previous programme, indicate a highly anomalous river catchment area,” added Karelian.
“This area has yielded five samples each having over 1,000 indicator minerals.
“The indicator minerals are primarily chromite and forsterite with some chalcopyrite and gold grains.”
Microprobe analysis on a number of chromite grains taken from the 2021 samples also showed that four had chromites with high zinc oxide values.
“Such high zinc oxide values can be a signature of sulphide rich nickel-copper group elements deposits,” said the company.
“It was also noted that a number of the chromites have inclusions of iron, nickel, sulphur as well as on the chromite margins, which is significant as it indicates the presence of nickel mineralisation.”
A follow-up programme will focus on the river catchment area and additional microprobe analysis to identify one or more drilling targets.