Silver Swan Northwest Project
Introduction
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The Silver Swan Northwest Project is located 45 km NNE of Kalgoorlie. The project covers komatiite and felsic sequences on the east limb of the Scotia Kanowna Dome.
The Project, considered grass-root, comprises 442 km² of tenements in addition to those the subject of the Silver Swan Northwest Joint Venture with BHP-Billiton.
The project covers ultramafic units that are considered geologically related to units that host nearby nickel deposits at the Silver Swan Mine, Mt Jewel and Rainbow Dam. In addition, a large gold-in-soil anomaly has been recently identified in a structural location along strike from the Mulgarrie Gold Mining Centre.
Latest News (September 2007)
Gold
Gold-in-soil anomalies are coincident with a 12 kilometre-long structural corridor.
Within the structural corridor, previous explorer's results include:
- The "Top Prospect" where RC drilling records indicate narrow high grade zones including 1m at 36.46g/t, 1m at 11.19g/t and 2m at 4.25g/t; and
- The "Airstrip Prospect" where records indicate a single traverse of RC drilling returned gold anomalies including 2m at 3.3g/t and 1m at 1.25g/t.
Nickel
Coincident nickel-copper anomalism is recorded in assays from RAB drilling from the 1990s. In several instances anomalism occur near the interpreted basal contact of highly magnesian ultramafic rocks. This environment is considered prospective for nickel sulphide mineralisation.
Pioneer has commenced a 5,000m drilling program to test gold and nickel targets; and MLTEM surveys to test basal contact nickel targets.
Project Summary
Geological Setting
The eastern flank of the Scotia Kanowna Dome comprises an eastward facing succession of ultramafics, basalts, dolerites and gabbros, with overlying felsic volcanics and fine-grained sediments, particularly to the north where they are interbedded with black shales.
Within the sequence, three distinct ultramafic belts occur with lithologies ranging from high magnesium basalts and komatiites to peridotities. These include the ultramafic host of the Silver Swan and Black Swan Mines and Mt Jewel deposits. The succession overlies granitic rocks and is intruded by mafic Proterozoic dykes.
The project is bisected by the Mount Monger-Moriaty Fault. This fault separates the Boorara Domain of the Kalgoorlie Terrane to the west from the Gindalbie Domain of the Kurnalpi Terrane to the east.
Outcrop within the tenement is restricted to a few ridges of subcropping mafic and ultramafic volcanics and minor granite outcrop to the north. Transported colluvium covers most of the project but in general is only 1m to 2m thick.
Exploration Activity
Exploration within the project area dates back to the "Nickel Boom", however modern exploration programmes have been used to evaluate parts of this large project.
Pioneer has compiled data from a number of sources for the western project area, covering the "Western Ultramafic" and sheared contact with an internal granitoid. This has resulted in the identification of an 11 km gold-in-soil anomaly that is coincident with the sheared ultramafic-mafic-granite contact zone. In addition, a zone of nickel-copper anomalism has been identified along an interpreted basal ultramafic contact.
Pioneer has recently accessed further data for the eastern and northern project areas. This reports mainly gold exploration, however a full evaluation of the data in respect of a more multi-commodity approach, will be completed. More information will be posted as interpretations are completed.
Traverses of aircore drilling have now commenced to facilitate mapping and appraise the gold target. A 5km EM survey is scheduled to test the nickel-copper target using fluxgate and SQUID receivers, ahead of drilling.
