The Mid-Continent Project consists of two highly prospective lease blocks under shallow cover in the state of Minnesota in the northern USA. The project area is in a position considered highly favourable for deposition of nickel bearing intrusion complexes such as Thompson, Raglan and Voisey’s Bay in Canada and Jinchaun in China.
The project takes advantage of 4,500 km2 of proprietary state-of-the-art airborne geophysical data that are included in a commercial arrangement with BHP Billiton.
The Target is a magmatic Jinchaun style nickel sulphide deposit. Nickel deposits exist in the region, exemplified by the nickel mineralised Tamarack Intrusion in central Minnesota and the Yellowdog Peridotite which hosts Rio’s Eagle Ni-Cu sulphide deposit in Michigan.
Western Metals (ASX:WMT) has purchased a 100% interest in all exploration data relating to the Mid-Continent Project including all regional geophysical data, drill hole and analytical data acquired by BHP Billiton.
The Geology of the Mid-Continent area is characterised by major lithospheric lineaments that converge in the Superior Province of North America. The project sits within a suture zone between two Precambrian cratonic bodies.
The project area flanks the Middle Archaean Morton Gneiss Block to the south and is bounded to the north by the prominent Yellow Medicine suture zone. Much of the belt is covered by thin cover (30m to <100m) comprising agricultural soil as seen in the photograph to the right.
The United States, with its secure business environment and established mining legislation, is an outstanding place to work with minimal sovereign risk. Demand for resources continues to grow for internal consumption and as exports.
Nickel Prices remain strong largely as a result of continued strong stainless steel consumption and lack of new supply worldwide.
People in Western Metals team include world class experts in nickel sulphide exploration, evaluation and mining with a total of over 100 years combined experience.
The 2008 Work Plan at the Mid-Continent project will aggressively test covered targets.
• Preparation / Community work Complete
• Drilling two targets Q2 2008
Typical western Minnesota landscape showing agricultural cover and almost no bedrock exposure.
