Venus kicks off Youanmi drilling in hunt for WA base metals

Venus Metals has kicked off a reverse circulation (RC) drilling program at its Youanmi base metals project where two bullseye gravity anomalies previously lit up in gravity and electromagnetic surveys.

The Pincher Well North prospect is 450km northeast of Perth in Western Australia’s rugged Murchison region.

The three-hole program will aim to test the geophysical anomalies previously picked up in a gravity and an electromagnetic survey done at the beginning of the year.

The gravity survey showed a strong response of up to +0.6 milligals, suggesting a hidden gabbroic rock layer that could hold nickel, copper, and platinum group elements (PGE)

Data from those surveys, coupled with earlier surveys and historical gravity assessments also points to striking similarities with Venus’ Pincher North Dome zinc-copper prospect to the north and is therefore considered promising for volcanogenic massive sulphide (VMS) mineralisation.

In 2017, a reconnaissance drill program across Pincher North Dome revealed shallow, high-grade zinc mineralisation, with notable intersections of 10m grading at 7.31 per cent zinc, including 6m at 9.5 per cent. Another intersection showed 7m grading at 4.2 per cent zinc, featuring a further 10m at 5.1 per cent.

The new targets, dubbed “PWN Grav1” and “PWN Grav2”, measure almost 300m by 150m and are ovoid in shape. The rig will test down to a depth of 200m, aimed at intersecting the anomalies which begin roughly 150m below the surface.

Further to the south, electromagnetic data also picked a deep, highly conductive plate, which the company has named “PW1”. The intriguing geophysical feature appears to be flat lying and sits as deep as 400m from surface. Consequently, a single RC hole with a diamond tail will be plunged into the target down to 400m to see what’s causing all the noise.

With eight exploration projects on the go at the same time, covering gold, lithium, copper-nickel-PGE, and base metals, Venus is never going to be short of news. However, Youanmi is one project area which has intrigued more than most. It is prospective not only for base metals, but also rare earth elements, lithium and vanadium.

With so much going on in a single tenement package, the odds would have to be stacked in the company’s favour of eventually landing a discovery. As results will probably be no more than a couple of months away, Venus will find out sooner rather than later, courtesy of the rotary truth machine whether it has cause to celebrate.

Is your ASX-listed company doing something interesting? Contact: matt.birney@wanews.com.au