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  Nickel exploration company Auroch Minerals has extended the length of nickel sulphide mineralisation for its Nepean project in WA with its latest drilling results.

  Assay results for Auroch Minerals’ (ASX:AOU) latest batch of drilling at Nepean near Coolgardie show the project’s high-grade nickel sulphide ore body extends for more than 500m of strike length after a further 200m was delineated in February.

  Among the latest batch of results for four drill holes is a hit from drill hole NPRC042 that included 4m at 0.77 per cent nickel from only 25m.

  Another hit was 2m at 2 per cent nickel and 0.3 per cent copper from 66m, including 1m at 2.9 per cent nickel and 0.36 per cent copper from 66m for drill hole NPRC043.

  “Drill-hole NPRC042 has delineated the continued trend of Sill 3 mineralisation to the south of the high-grade intersections previously announced,” Managing Director, Aidan Platel, said.

  “Drill-holes NPRC043 and NPRC044 were drilled further south again to test a modelled ‘pinch out’ position of the Sill 3 mineralisation at the southern margin of the mineralised channel,” he said.

  Builds on understanding of Nepean mineralisation

 The latest four drill holes are part of a 10-hole maiden drilling program for the Nepean project that have confirmed its Sill 3 mineralisation extends over 200m to the south of historic mineralisation in the Nepean mine.

  “The recent results have continued to build upon our understanding and geological model of the shallow high-grade nickel sulphide mineralisation that now extends for more than 500m of strike, and with that our team has recognised the need to drill several more holes into critical areas of this mineralisation,” Managing Director, Aidan Platel, said.

  Auroch Minerals has immediately commissioned five new drill holes to further test key areas of the shallow near-mine high-grade mineralisation at Nepean, which is operated as an 80:20 joint venture with Goldfellas Proprietary Limited.

  The results of this drilling are expected within two to three weeks’ time.

  Maiden drilling program now complete

  The company has drilled the last of 20 holes for 2,400m in its maiden drilling program for Nepean, comprising 10 shallow near-mine drill-holes and 10 regional drill hole testing aeromagnetic targets along a prospective 10km strike zone.

  “We also look forward to commencing a high-powered ground moving loop electromagnetic survey this month over priority target areas of the 10km of strike that we have at Nepean, which we believe will generate significant high potential targets for the next phase of drilling,” said Platel.

  Auroch Minerals will also start diamond drilling next week to test some high priority aeromagnetic anomalies along strike from the Horn Prospect at its Leinster nickel project in WA.

• [Editor:Catherine Ren]