Higginsville Project
Introduction
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The Higginsville project is located 125km SSE of Kalgoorlie on the western and southern flanks of the Pioneer Dome where it is transected by the Jimberlana Dyke. Early exploration at Higginsville during the "Nickel Boom" targeted the ultramafic belts, however more recent exploration has had gold as the primary commodity sought, resulting in the discovery and exploitation of the Chalice and Higginsville gold mines.
Results from recent geochemical surveys show significant prospectivity within the project for nickel sulphide mineralisation.
Latest Development by Pioneer
Pioneer has scheduled a MLTEM survey of the Spinifex prospect for late August 2004.
Project Summary
Geological Setting
The project covers the southern extent of the Widgiemooltha Greenstone Belt at Pioneer, between the Zuleika Shear Zone to the east and granite terrain to the west.
Around the Pioneer and Widgiemooltha Domes, flanking occurrences of felsic sediments abut the granite, overlain by komatiitic amphibolites, ultramafics, metagabbro and dolerite. The sequence is cross cut by younger mafic and granitic dykes.
Throughout the Widgiemooltha-Pioneer region, the ultramafic packages have been divided into the Western, Central and Eastern Komatiite sequence, with the Western lower sequence considered the most prospective for Nickel Sulphide deposits. At the Pioneer Dome, the JH and BB Nickel Sulphide Deposits occur on the eastern flank in the Western Komatiite. The Spinifex prospect occurs at the equivalent stratigraphic position on the western flank of the Pioneer Dome.
Exploration Activity
At the Spinifex prospects oil sampling has generated a coincident Ni-Cu-PGM anomaly. This is considered a high priority target and will be advanced with MLTEM and FLTEM, prior to drilling.
The 399 prospect contains two ultramafic horizons which represent either true komatiite of the Western Komatiite Sequence, or the differentiated floor ultramafic of the Mount Thirsty Sill; either way the Nickel Sulphide potential is rated as high. Soil geochemistry has outlined a strong coincident Ni-Cu anomaly associated with the Western Komatiite. Previous drilling at the 399 prospect revealed an 8m sulphide zone, with one interval of 0.76m at >10g/t Au.
Pioneer has flown a low level, detailed aeromagnetic survey to facilitate exploration at the Higginsville 399 prospect.
