Highlights:

• Vertex Minerals Ltd’s director recently paid a visit to the southern end of the Taylors Rock Project (E63/2058), which was in the past also RC-drilled for nickel by Norilsk Nickel Australia.
• The drill logs of the historical holes indicated pegmatite intersections over a corridor of 4km.
• Terming the historical drill intercepts as interesting, the company says the project has got encouraging mineralisation potential for gold and nickel.
• The company has tracked most rock chips samples from the historical RC drilling by Norilsk and submitted for multi‑element XRF analysis, with assay results awaited in November.

An Australian-based gold exploration company, Vertex Minerals Limited (ASX:VTX) has recently completed a site visit to the southern end of the Taylors Rock Project in Western Australia.

VTX aims to advance the commercial production of gold from its NSW projects, while adopting an approach that is ethical and environmentally sustainable. This company in its own words is Australia’s first truly environmentally sustainable producer of ‘green’ gold.

Most rock chips samples from historical RC drilling, which was conducted in the past by Norilsk Nickel Australia, have been located. Note that Norilsk had explored only for nickel at the Taylor Rock Project.

Upon investigating the drill hole logs, significant intersections of pegmatites have been revealed in several of the historical holes. These holes were not assayed at that time since they were not thought to be prospective for nickel sulphides.

The directors too are fascinated by the nickel potential, located both up and down dip, from the previous intersections drilled by Norilsk. Accordingly, Vertex now plans to conduct an exploration program at the Taylor Rock project, aiming to assess the nickel, gold, and lithium potential of the project.

Pinning high hopes on the Taylor Rock Project, Company Executive Director, Tully Richards, says that the project is home to rocks holding potential for gold, lithium, nickel, and iron. Further he adds that this project enjoys the advantage of close proximity to many nickel- and lithium-processing hubs, upping the worth of the project. He also happens to be a Geologist for the company.

The Taylor Rock Project – overview

The project is situated 80km WSW of Norseman in the Southern Goldfields region, Western Australia, and is adjacent to Lake Johnston. The project is situated in a world-class nickel and lithium precinct.

Cross-sectional view of the interpreted lithology of Eliza May Prospect, Taylor Rock Project (Source: Company update, 27 October 2022)

The project in the past

In the past, Norilsk had conducted RC drilling targeting Nickel in the southern half of the tenement.

The logged holes indicated that pegmatites were intersected over a 4km corridor.

Norilsk only targeted nickel below 200m. Vertex geologists however are interested in the near-surface nickel potential, as the mineralisation has suggested continuing up dip.

Significant historical drilling returned nickel results including:

Image source:© 2022 Kalkine Media®; data source: Company update, 27 October 2022

The following are the gold intercepts:

Image source:© 2022 Kalkine Media®; data source: Company update, 27 October 2022

The way ahead

Samples of the RC chips from the historical RC drilling by Norilsk have been submitted for multi‑element XRF analysis, including Li index, to ALS in Perth. Results are awaited in November.

The project’s northern end, which has remained unexplored thus far, will be sampled late November.

VTX stock last traded at AU$0.130 as on 28 October 2022.