THE MAZE ... Read entire post.
Comparables of wellgreen's olivines with Aston's vs XPS.
Then... a review of - 2014 - 2017 MET studies.
Then i provide my thoughts on the important - Gabbros.
And the what if's.... gabbros were not included, redefining ores, and maybe zones
where 2.5 km PEA might have been merged ?
COMPARISONS
If the lower south transitions to olivine, has increased nickel...
Why can't they extract nickel from olivine ?
XPS seems to have no issue with, Aston's 90% Olivine,
near Timmin's On.
2017 - Wellgreen Report
Page 139 - Tech report ( MET studies )
Peridotite is well mineralized near the contact and becomes
lower grade as one migrates to the south, away from the sediment contact.
The southernmost distal peridotite mineralization reflects the
increased nickel contained in olivine and is not expected to be recovered.
Peridotite near the contact contains more sulfides and is consequently higher grade and more
recoverable.
https://www.miningdataonline.com/reports/Wellgreen_TR_MineralResource_06262017.pdf
Were Aston Resource Ores Olivines ?
Nickel sulphide mineralisation at these deposits was formed through
the serpentinisation of a dunite unit (rock composed of >90%olivine).
The Boomerang Target is interpreted to be a Dunite/Peridotite unit which has undergone extensive serpentinisation. This process of is responsible for the reaction of olivine to produce magnetite and brucite, resulting in a strongly reducing environment whereby nickel is released from decomposition of olivine.
https://www.investi.com.au/api/announcements/aso/dd411f0b-b0a.pdf
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2017 - Wellgreen Report
- Interesting tid bits from the report -
Reverse Circulation versus Diamond Drilling
Page - 115 -
RC brought grades down vs Diamond drilling
Or....was it the assaying...
Quarter Core versus Half Core
Page - 116 -
Former Grade Comparison 3 Juniors
Page - 118 -
Did Coronation have better assaying for Wellgreen ?
Not Company mean, which could factor drilling outside of, Wellgreen.
Removal of Pre-1987 Drilling
Page - 119 - of course high grade - it's what undergroung mining does.
The pre-1987 drilling amounted to 542 holes with 25,050 m of drilling and 5,100 Nickel assays. The holes were often short underground holes. Assays were selectively high-grade. In the long drill holes, there were often long intervals with no assay data.
All of the pre-1987 drilling that was coded as no-assay was broken into 3 m composite intervals and paired with the 1987 to 2016 drill hole data on a nearest neighbour basis.
The test area is the Nickel Population above 0.35% Nickel. The pre-1987 (old) drilling is substantially high biased when compared to the surrounding drilling from 1987 to 2016.
All of the hypothesis tests fail. Of interest is the stability in grade of the selected high-grades from 1987 through 2016, indicating a relatively robust sampling. The old drilling however, is substantially higher grade and substantially high biased.
As a result of these tests, all of the pre-1987 drilling was removed and not used in the estimation of mineral resources for the Wellgreen Project
Poof.... 542 holes gone.
MINERAL PROCESSING AND METALLURGICAL TESTING
Page - 122 -
Interesting -
In addition, several programs have characterized the mineralogy of the deposit,
dividing the material into four principal domains:
peridotite, clinopyroxenite, gabbro/massive sulfide, and dunite.
Dunite has been combined with Peridotite within the current resource and geologic model.
Lakefield Research 1988
Locked cycle testing of the bulk flowsheet indicated a final concentrate grading 10.3% Cu and 5.7% Ni to Cu and Ni concentrate recoveries of 94% and 77%, respectively. In the second phase of the work, high-speed conditioning was added to the flowsheet which improved recoveries to 96% Cu and 81% Ni, while maintaining comparable concentrate grades.
Platinum and palladium recoveries were measured at 68% and 71%, respectively
G+T 2011
A limited test program consisting of six batch flotation tests was carried out at G&T Metallurgical
Services in Kamloops, BC in the spring of 2011. A single composite, labeled as “Peridotite”, was
prepared from ~600 kg of coarse crushed material. The composite graded 0.29% Cu, 0.26% Ni, 0.28 g/t Pt, and 0.25 g/t Pd.
Mineralogical characterisation of the composite at a grind P80 (80% passing size) of 93μm indicated low liberation of pentlandite and chalcopyrite on the order of 35%. Pyrrhotite liberation was found to be slightly higher at the same grind size:
Table 13-1: Peridotite Composite Mineral Composition
Mineral Content, %
Chalcopyrite 0.82
Pentlandite 0.8
Pyrite 0.09
Pyrrhotite 3.32
Magnetite/Hematite 1.36
Goethite 5.64
Quartz 0.04
Micas 1.89
Feldspars 0.1
Chlorite 8.51
Talc 0.96
Amphibole 22.1
Serpentine 51.4
Calcite 0.83
Olivine 0.81
Ti Minerals 0.44
Others 0.86
Total 100.0
Three rougher kinetics flotation tests were carried out using Potassium Amyl Xanthate (PAX) as the collector and Methyl Isobutyl Carbonyl (MIBC) as the frother. Variations in the second and third tests consisted of lowering the grind P80 from 93μm to 63μm and increasing the PAX dosage. Overall, metal recoveries were slightly improved at the finer grind and higher collector additions, largely due to increased mass pull.
Three cleaner tests, each consisting of three cleaner stages, were conducted. In the final test, a
combination of a finer primary grind (P80 63μm) and the addition of Calgon (Sodium
Hexametaphosphate) as a dispersant resulted in the highest copper and nickel recoveries to the 3rd cleaner concentrate: 64% and 62%, respectively. Combined copper plus nickel grade of the final concentrate was low however, at 7.4%
( wango ) iron content seems low ?
maybe they were absolute peridotite silicates....green glass.
1989 reported 36% iron. ( diff geology - high grade gabbs ) ?
SGS Vancouver 2012
Page - 122 -
Here comes the blended ores....
In 2012, samples were sent to SGS in Vancouver, BC and used to prepare a Master Composite and High Ni Composite for additional testwork. The Master Composite was generated from domain sub- composites and represented 80% Peridotite, 15% Gabbro, and 5% Massive Sulphide.
Based on the batch test results, baseline rougher test conditions were established consisting of a primary grind to a P80 of 90 μm, 70 g/t SIPX, 25 g/t MIBC, and 20 minutes of flotation time at natural pH.
A total of 15 batch cleaner tests were carried out to optimize concentrate grade and recovery, and
reject silicate gangue. The best open-circuit bulk concentrate results were achieved without a regrind, by adding 200 g/t CMC in the cleaners to reject silicates and 245 g/t CuSO4 to condition the sulphides.
Open-circuit recoveries for copper and nickel were 79% and 64%, respectively, to a combined Cu+Ni grade of 12.1%. MgO in the 3rd cleaner concentrate was measured at 1.0%.
Additional cleaner tests looked at producing separate copper and nickel concentrates using both a split flowsheet and a MF2 (mill-float-mill-float) arrangement. The split flowsheet approach involved producing a bulk concentrate only from the fast-floating rougher concentrate, and then separating the bulk concentrate. The bulk tails were combined with the rougher-scavenger concentrate, reground, and cleaned to generate the nickel concentrate. A locked cycle test was conducted on this flowsheet, with the projection from this test presented in Table 13-2 below.
SGS Lakefield 2014
Page - 124 -
In 2014, 10 variability composites representing the three identified domains of the deposit (peridotite,
clinopyroxenite, and gabbro) and one master composite were submitted for testwork at SGS Mineral Services in Lakefield, ON. Mineralogical study of the composites indicated that peridotite domain samples could be characterized by high serpentine content, lower nickel grades, and a lower portion of the contained nickel present as pentlandite, as compared to samples from the gabbro domain
( wango ) True. Gabbro is the higher grade ore.
But one cannot dismiss all other studies that verify the Peridotites
that contain 0.29% Cu, 0.26% Ni, 0.28 g/t Pt, and 0.25 g/t Pd.
within the - GT - 2011 study. 600 kg's were used.
Flotation testwork focused on a sequential flowsheet, whereby the copper minerals would be
recovered to a separate concentrate in the early stages of rougher flotation. Locked cycle testing of the optimized flowsheet on the LUC composite resulted in recovery of 62% copper to the copper concentrate and 63% nickel to the nickel concentrate (see Table 13-3). However, the copper concentrate graded 1.78% Ni, which is considered too high to be marketable
XPS 2014
Page - 124 -
A peridotite domain composite from the previous SGS program was the focus of a series of flotation tests completed at Xstrata Process Support, also in 2014.
The composite is described as 203 Lower, and represents a single drill hole in the peridotite zone. Head assays indicated that the composite graded
0.18% Cu, 0.33% Ni, 0.38 g/t Pt, and 0.32 g/t Pd.
Rougher flotation tests were conducted at primary grind P80’s of 75, 50, and 35μm. The results
indicated optimum copper and nickel recovery at 50μm, but PGM recovery to a subsequent magnetic separation step on the flotation tailings was improved at the coarser grind.
In addition, nickel recovery in the roughers was found to be enhanced by the addition of dispersants or gangue depressants. Rougher stage recoveries were estimated at 69% Cu, 62% Ni, 40% Pt, and 55% Pd.
A pair of cleaner tests were carried out using a conventional flowsheet consisting of rougher flotation, regrinding of the rougher concentrate, and then three stages of open circuit cleaning to produce a bulk product. A magnetic concentrate scavenged from the flotation tails was separately reground and cleaned to generate a second concentrate. The combined concentrate graded 5.4% Cu and 8.8% Ni with copper and nickel recoveries of 63% and 58%, respectively.
Current Testwork: XPS 2016-2017
Page - 125 -
A comprehensive metallurgical testwork program was undertaken at XPS beginning in the spring of 2016. The objective of the program was to advance the flowsheet for the two principal
geometallurgical domains in the deposit: peridotite and clinopyroxenite.
( wango ) Gabbro are Gone. Gabbro are high Grade
A total of 9 initial composites were prepared from ~1950 kg of split core samples. The samples were divided into the two main domains of peridotite and clinopyroxenite. Individual composites were generated to represent specific periods of Yr 1-16, Yr 1-5, Yr 6-10, and Yr 2 of the mine plan as proposed at the time of compositing.
For the PERD (Peridotite) domain an additional composite was included to compare spatial variation in one of the production periods and was labeled as Yr 1-5 sp. Each composite was prepared from ¼ core samples selected by Wellgreen geologists to represent the production period.
The samples were crushed to either 8 mesh or 10 mesh and blended using XPS’ odds/evens blending method, before being spin riffled into test charges. A summary of the weights and head assays of the composites are provided in Table 13-3
( wango )
Press - March 1, 2017
The completion of the Phase 1 Metallurgical Program, together with the geologic modeling which incorporates the past four drill program results for the 2014-2016 calendar years
Press - April 22, 2016
Assay results from the drill program demonstrated the continuity of massive, semi-massive and disseminated mineralization described in the Company's 2015 PEA1. The results from this program, along with those from previous drill programs conducted in the fall/winter of 2014 and summer of 2015, will be incorporated into an updated geological deposit model that is intended to form the basis of a potential future Pre-Feasibility Study. In parallel, the Company will continue metallurgical and process engineering studies, as well as environmental baseline, assessment and mitigation studies.
Map - shows drilling across several zones outside Wellgreen.
did someone have relabelled entire deposit Wellgreen ?
2015 covered 2.5 km wellgreen zone.
Drill Hole Map
https://s21.q4cdn.com/491660439/files/doc_news/2016-0422-nr-drillholes-aerial-planview-1024x689.jpg
Press - 12/21/2015
Map showing 2015 drill placements - all outside of Wellgreen.
https://s21.q4cdn.com/491660439/files/doc_news/2015-1221-nr-01.jpg
Press - July 11, 2016
2016 Metallurgical Testing Update
Testing is focused on representative samples from mineralized material from the geological domains that accounted for over 85% of the mill feed in the initial 16 years of mine operations in the 2015 PEA, using conventional sulphide flotation.
( wango ) again, majority of drill holes were well outside the 2015
2.5 km wellgreen zone.
Those drill holes were sent off to MET tests.
Which translates to, MET tests were applied to central, west, eastern zones.
Essentially we have a 2015 PEA resource applied to, 2.5 km wellgreen.
And current MET studies that are assigned to, all other zones ?
Now.... get ready for this....
Refresh one's mine where 2014 - 2016 drills were = outside wellgreen.
Press Grades ( majority outside wellgreen )
https://www.nickelcreekplatinum.com/investors/news-releases/press-release-details/2016/Wellgreen-Platinum-Announces-2015-Drill-Results-at-the-Wellgreen-PGM-Nickel-Project/default.aspx
Here come the In Fill drill holes....
Sept 07 2017
Two types of infill programs.
- infill/metallurgical program projects seven holes or 1,950 metres
After core retrieval, one half of the core will be shipped to Sudbury, Ontario for metallurgical testing and the remaining half will be split in two – with one quarter of the core to be sampled and analyzed for metal content.
- infill portion of the program consists of seven holes and 1,650 meters
The infill holes are being sampled like the infill/metallurgical holes in order to provide supplemental metallurgical samples.
Here are the drill holes used for....Met tests.
New holes more meterage.
Issue ?
13 drill holes on map
3 infill are inside wellgreen
3 infill met are inside wellgreen
= less than 50% are ( inside ) wellgreen zone
all other holes are ouside wellgreen.
https://www.nickelcreekplatinum.com/investors/news-releases/press-release-details/2017/Wellgreen-Platinum-Provides-2017-Drill-Program-Update/default.aspx
How can 2014 - 2016 Drilling represent Wellgreen 2.5 km zone
when majority are outside the 2.5 km ?
How can 2014 - 2016 Drilling represent Wellgreen 2.5 km MET tests ?
Better yet...
How can infill drilling with only 1/2 the length cores only 6 of 13
indude the wellgreen represent 2.5 wellgreen ?
Clincher ?
I missed this press....
June 26, 2017
Since the publication of the July 24, 2014 mineral resource estimate, an additional 74 drill holes were completed during four drill programs from 2013 through to 2016. These drill holes and assay data were incorporated into the new geologic model and 2017 Resource Estimate
The Inferred class of mineralization declined in tonnage by approximately 86%, but increased the grade of nickel by 20% and decreased the grade of copper by approximately 14% due to the following reasons:
https://www.nickelcreekplatinum.com/investors/news-releases/press-release-details/2017/Wellgreen-Platinum-Announces-Updated-Resource-Estimate/default.aspx
Geological Domain change *****
86% of Inferred decreased ?
Sure.... But It's not the M&I of 2015 PEA.
Where was most of the drilling 2015 - 2017 ?
West + Central.
All due respect....
I'd keep the 2015 PEA resource separate.
Everything from 2016 forward i'd scrap.
All but the drilling + phase 1 MET tests.
I'd pair Peridotite with Clinopyroxine
As, Clinopyroxine is apart of, Peridotites.
And the second ore would be = Gabbro = high grade.
I have never seen a project
become so convoluted as this.
If 2015 PEA covered 2.5 km's
One can't drill all other zones and use those ores
in MET studies and then apply it to, 2.5 km wellgreen...lol
Not to mention, use onlt half the whole core.
Clearly....
Johnson from 2015,after the PEA,
began expanding outward.
Wellgreen was drill defined.
Wellgreen needed MET studies.
Johnson, began new drills few inside Wellgreen
but also Central/Wester.Outside the Wellgreen.
Central, Westerly.
New management comes in, drills westerly.
What's westerly = gabbros.
Changes ores to, Peridotites.
Sends Peridotites to xps.
Practical Entitlement - kicks in.
Investors lose on, decreased recoveries because of phase 2.
Even when thry knew phase 1 provided better BULK recoveries.
Phase 2 took value away.
Press - June 26, 2017
https://www.nickelcreekplatinum.com/investors/news-releases/press-release-details/2017/Wellgreen-Platinum-Announces-Updated-Resource-Estimate/default.aspx
2015 PEA
Mineral Resource Estimate by Category – At a 0.57 g/t Pt Eq. or 0.15% Ni Eq. cut-off (Base Case)
| | | | | | | | | | | |
| Measured | 92,293 | 0.550 | 0.252 | 0.246 | 0.052 | 0.260 | 0.155 | 0.015 | 1.713 | 0.449 |
| Indicated | 237,276 | 0.511 | 0.231 | 0.238 | 0.042 | 0.261 | 0.135 | 0.015 | 1.656 | 0.434 |
| Total M&I | 329,569 | 0.522 | 0.237 | 0.240 | 0.045 | 0.261 | 0.141 | 0.015 | 1.672 | 0.438 |
| Inferred | 846,389 | 0.507 | 0.234 | 0.226 | 0.047 | 0.237 | 0.139 | 0.015 | 1.571 | 0.412 |
Again, all those drills from 2014 - 2016 - 74 holes
With
additional 13 holes (
6 holes of 13 inside wellgreen - met studies 1/2 whole core )
https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/553093/Wellgreen_Platinum_Ltd__Wellgreen_Platinum_Provides_2017_Drill_P.jpg Resulted in, erasing 86% of inferred ?
More like 86% of inferred from 2017 inferred zone ? If they drilled majority outside of Wellgreen, where is the
846 million tonnes inferred ?
Did it vanish upon drilling western + central...lol
| Mineral Resources |
| June 2017 |
000 kt
=
118,000,000 million inferred tonnes. = 362,000,000 million M + I tonnes
Keep in mind....
Johnson assembled
M & I -
329,569,000 million tonnes - 2015 PEA
What else did Johnson recognize along with
previous juniors ?
The
high grade core zone.
Gabbro. Within the global pit constrained Mineral Resource is a significantly higher grade component grading 2.49 g/t Pt Eq. or 0.65% Ni Eq. containing 2.1 million ounces of 3E Measured & Indicated Resources with an additional Inferred Mineral Resource grading 2.41 g/t Pt Eq. or 0.63% Ni Eq. containing 5.1 million 3E ounces, which is targeted in the early part of the mine life.
Mineral Resource Estimate by Category – At a 1.9 g/t Pt Eq. or 0.50% Ni Eq. cut-off
| | | | | | | | | | | |
| Measured | 21,854 | 0.923 | 0.454 | 0.366 | 0.103 | 0.326 | 0.301 | 0.019 | 2.492 | 0.653 |
| Indicated | 50,264 | 0.919 | 0.455 | 0.373 | 0.090 | 0.334 | 0.286 | 0.019 | 2.493 | 0.653 |
| Total M&I | 72,117 | 0.920 | 0.455 | 0.371 | 0.094 | 0.332 | 0.291 | 0.019 | 2.493 | 0.653 |
| Inferred | 173,684 | 0.906 | 0.456 | 0.352 | 0.098 | 0.309 | 0.301 | 0.018 | 2.410 | 0.631 |
https://www.nickelcreekplatinum.com/investors/news-releases/press-release-details/2015/Wellgreen-Platinum-Announces-Positive-Preliminary-Economic-Assessment-Update-on-its-Wellgreen-PGM-Nickel-Project/default.aspx
72,117,000 million tonnes (
measured + indicated inside pit core )
x 0.653 Ni Eq
470,924 t Ni Eq
= 1,036,032,800 billion lbs Ni Eq Prophecy pegged it @
50,000,000 t @ 1.563% Ni Eq
This is most likely the Gabbro zone.
Which even Galactic / All North pointed out.
Now what happens when one changes all ores to,
Peridotite ?
Then, says this.... Testing has focused upon the geometallurgical domains which comprise the predominance of the resource. This area was categorized into two geometallurgical domains in the 2015 PEA: (i) Clinopyroxenite / Pyroxenite and (ii) Peridotite. The recently completed testwork has demonstrated that the geometallurgical domains are, and as such they will be referred to as: (i) Peridotite, which makes up the largest part of the resource, and (ii) Clinopyroxenite, which makes up a smaller part of the resource.
The Massive Sulphides and Gabbro constituting a smaller volume of material than the Clinopyroxenite may be tested during any subsequent metallurgical testing. https://www.nickelcreekplatinum.com/investors/news-releases/press-release-details/2017/Wellgreen-Platinum-Announces-Results-of-Metallurgical-Testwork/default.aspx
Question ?
Were these Gabbros ever tested ?
XPS ( above in post ) only states they measured density of gabbro )
What were the tests based on ? Peridotite / Clinopyroxine.
Knowing the drill data of the 800 million inferred - 2015.
Might provide an answer to,
Is there an eq amount of
peridotite silicate at Wellgreen that also would
amount to, 329, 569,000 t ?
SUM ? Too many changes in management.
Back track
2015 PEA should stand.
Divide entire Shaw into 2 ore classes - Gabbro + Perio/Clino
MET studies should only be testing Wellgreen 2.5 km zone
Keep phase 1 apply to 2.5 km Wellgreen
Sift through 2014 - 2016 drilling - 74 total
allocate each to their zones.
Seems after PEA most focus was outside 2015 PEA zone.
If Central + Western have suffcient tonnage
provide a second resource that's separate from 2.5 km Wellgreen.
What are my thoughts on,
extra tonnage ?
If only peridotites + Clinopyroxine were the majority ore + main MET focus...
And the comment Gabbro smallest ore -
might be tested at a latter date.
Only
density measured in last MET study. Core zone inside wellgreen's main pit is a
special high grade zone. Offering up
1 Billion t of Ni Eq in
only 72 million tonnes ( M + I )
Other juniors recognized the
Gabbro all along.
2017 suddenly changes... everything to majority peridotite ?
What if more drilling added more peridotite ?
What if Gabbro, was excluded in MET ?
1989 PFS used the words, reserves.
But also said, indicated.
1989 stated 36% iron.
That core zone has been drilled excessively.
It's where the main mine is.
All i can say is...
Entire Shaw became a jig saw puzzle
after - 2015 PEA.
Hence back track and make a few tweaks.
Drill assay data is there.
Not hard to fix, apply each to their rightful zones outside 2.5 km wellgreen zone.
As most know....
I like delving into junior minors, researching geology.
But... this one's a diff breed.
If i didn't know any better, i'd say 2.5 km wellgreen became
17.5 km wellgreen after 2015. Did the reclassifying ore
also include expanding 2.5 km and merging into other zones ?
Additional drilling combined with the revised geologic interpretation resulted in
establishing boundaries of mineral bearing rock types that were previously reported as open. https://www.nickelcreekplatinum.com/investors/news-releases/press-release-details/2017/Wellgreen-Platinum-Announces-Updated-Resource-Estimate/default.aspx
After 2015 = complex hairball.
In french we call it, CF.
lol
Wonderful Project.
Mega Minerals.
Needs better defining of mineral zones after 2015
Separate 2015 from other zone = would bring instant clarity
Include exotics, irons, magnesium
Apply phase 1 MET to 2015 resources ( bulk ) = transfer to 2023 PFS
More info on 846 million inferred ( where exactly )
846 million t inferred reads as - located at 2.5 km zone ( 2015 press PEA )
= they'd have a tiger
Cheers....
Done posting.
Hopefully a few of my posts helped navigated the maze after 2015.
Hey, i like the Wellgreen.
I own shares.