Asian Battery Metals (ASX: AZ9) has discovered a new style of copper-nickel sulphide mineralisation deposit through drilling at its Oval prospect in the south-western part of Mongolia.

The company has identified what it says is a significant copper-nickel discovery after receiving the remaining assay data from the Phase 1 diamond drilling (DD) program at Oval, located in the Gobi-Altai region of Mongolia.

Following this success at Oval, the company’s board has decided to reallocate the remainder of the 2024 drilling budget from other projects to the Oval prospect to advance its current understanding of the high-grade zone.

‘Outstanding discovery’

“After four years of systematic exploration in Mongolia, with the help of the BHP Xplor program in 2023, it is exciting to be part of an outstanding copper-nickel discovery,” managing director Gan-Ochir Zunduisuren said.

“With the confirmation of high-grade massive sulphide intercepts, future exploration work at the Oval copper-nickel discovery will primarily focus on extending the high-grade zone and understanding its size, true dip and orientation.”

“We will recommence drilling within two weeks and look forward to continuing the journey of discovery with our shareholders.”

BHP Xplor cohort

In January 2023, Asian Battery Metals was among seven companies selected in the cohort of winners in the BHP Xplor program developed by the mining giant to create disruptive results in copper and nickel exploration by identifying new concepts, leveraging new data and testing opportunities at a much faster pace than previously.

Its Phase 1 program at Oval consisted of 19 completed holes totalling 2,897 metres at the Yambat project.

This included 2,184m of drilling at the Oval discovery, 460m of scout drilling in the south-eastern area and 253m of DD at the Copper Ridge prospect.

Outstanding grades

A highlight of this drilling was the intercept of massive sulphides in one hole, now confirmed by the assay results to have outstanding grades of copper-nickel and platinum group elements.

Mr Zunduisuren said the result further confirmed that the Oval magmatic sulphide system is a rich system capable of forming high-grade ore.

Further investigation of the massive sulphide is the primary objective of a Phase 2 drilling program that will be targeted based on the drill-hole electromagnetic (DHEM) survey used to design the drill hole of interest.

High-grade zone

The main focus of the 900m-to-1,500m drilling program will be to extend, determine the size and orientation of and target deeper high-grade sections of the mineralised zone.

Southern Geoscience Consultants has modelled a number of plates based on DHEM surveys for various drill holes and is now processing the raw data to analyse the off-hole anomalies observed.

The finalisation of these plates through correlation with geological and geophysical information is ongoing and will contribute to planning for future drilling.