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Oct 2005 - Sally Malay Mining

Sally Malay Mining Limited (SMY) –Extending SMY’s Life Beyond 8 Years

  • Sally Malay is currently increasing production at both of its nickel mines, being the 100% owned Kimberley Nickel Mines (KNM) in northern WA and 75% owned Lanfranchi Nickel Mines (LNM) south of Kambalda, to ~8,000t Ni pa in 2006.
  • Based mainly on the existing ore reserves of the central orebody at KNM, SMY’s life is about 5 years. However, so far, there has been an ~24% positive reconciliation in contained nickel in the upper orebody (mined essentially from the open-cut). Also, the initial underground levels are exposing significantly greater widths than expected such that the first stoping block indicates a 50% increase in tonnes or 43% increase in contained nickel.
  • Drilling is also extending the Sally Malay orebody further west, with the intersection of 3.6m at 3.1% Ni (and 0.95%Cu) in drillhole KUD56 ~40m from the western boundary inferring further extensions to reserves and resources. When combined with the 11 drillholes already having intersected the lower orebody (below the 500 fault), SMY’s life at KNM could be at least 10 years, at possibly a higher grade than current ore reserves.
  • The initial exposures of Helmut South at Lanfranchi are reminiscent of the thick widths of Helmut with a 16m true width (35m intersected) @ 4.1% Ni containing an 8.1m true width (17.4m intersected) higher grade zone at 5.4%Ni. Some of the Lanfranchi mines were renowned for their thick widths and high grades such as the 6m to 8m thick massive sulphide at 10% to 12%Ni in Schmitz, and the 13,680tNi mined from Skinner in 2000, consisting of 260,000t at 5.3%Ni.
  • Lanfranchi also has the potential to realise a significantly longer life following the discovery that a complete host sequence and contact boundary exists on the northern overturned side of the east-west striking dome. Theoretically the lava channels/embayments that have been mined to-date across the southern side of the dome could recur along the northern side of the dome too.
  • Written by: Keith Goode
  • Wednesday, 26 October 2005