The key setting for all the nickel that has been mined historically at Kambalda district is at a contact zone between two rock types, with a younger overlaying volcanic rock.
The Mincor Nickel Operations (MNO) is expected to consist of Cassini and the Northern Operations (Long and Durkin North) at commencement, with the Miitel mine contributing in the back half of the project life.
Cassini
Cassini is located on the southern section of the Widgiemooltha Dome. The geology of the Widgiemooltha Dome and the area to the south consists of a thrust repeated sequence of basic ultramafic extrusive and intrusives, with intercalated sediments and acid volcanics with nickel sulphide orebodies found at the base of the ultramafic sequence.
The Cassini orebody as interpreted in the Mineral Resource is split into eight lodes, labelled CS2-CS9. From a mining perspective, the Mineral Resource has been delineated into two main areas based on spatial characteristics. These mining areas have been named by the dominant lode (CS2 or CS4). The CS2 Area (CS2, CS3, CS6, CS7 and portion of CS5 lodes) consists of east-west trending parallel lodes, mainly offset, dipping at ~45° to the south with thickness from ~1m to ~7m, averaging 3m.
The CS2 Area extends from ~260mRL (approx. 50mbs) to ~-240mRL (480m vertical extent). Grades and orebody thickness are inconsistent above ~75mRL.
The CS4 Area (CS4, CS8, CS9 and portion of CS5 Lodes) consists o ........
