By EDDIE OSIFELO
KOLOSORI Nickel (SI) Limited has commenced drilling uphill at Havihua in Bugotu, Isabel Province, three weeks ago.
One of the landowners, Fr Wilson Mapuru confirmed this to Island Sun yesterday from his home village.
Fr Mapuru said drilling and survey are now ongoing on the tenement area with the view to go into nickel mining.
KNSIL holds the Prospecting License over Havihua, which is within Kolosori.
Its investor, Pacific Nickel Mines Limited has already published the information of the current activity on the Australia Stock Exchange.
Pacific Nickel CEO Geoff Hiller commented:
“We are excited by the progressive phase made so far on developing the Kolosori Nickel DSO mining project and the incredible support shown towards this national project by the local Kolosori communities, the Provincial Government of Isabel and the National Government.”
“The drilling program and these engineering studies are part and parcel of the development of the Kolosori Project and we remain on track to apply for the necessary Mining and Environment licenses within the next couple of months.”
The first stage of the drilling program will comprise 64 holes (including 11 metallurgical holes).
Mining One has designed an initial drill program of 224 holes for the Kolosori Nickel Project.
These holes are part of the planned 2021 pre-development activities.
The initial 64-hole drilling program is designed to infill the existing Mineral Resource of 5.89Mt at 1.55% Ni2 as well as test for extensions to the Mineral Resource.
The core samples taken from the 11 metallurgical holes are expected to provide metallurgical information needed in marketing of the DSO product.
Technical information such as moisture content will be estimated from core samples and used for designing the materials handling systems from mining to stockpiling to exporting the DSO via barges and ships.
In addition to the commencement of drilling, the Company is also strongly progressing feasibility study work with engineering consultants Resindo. An important part of this feasibility work was the identification of a suitable port location near to the Kolosori resources.
A local marine survey consultancy group has now completed a bathymetric survey over an area previously identified by Resindo as potentially suitable for a port location.
The results from the survey confirmed that the site is suitable as a loading point for trans-shipping barges.
Resindo is now finalising the wharf design.
On the back of the wharf design, Resindo is also assessing the trans-shipping requirements for loading the nickel ore onto barges, which travel about a kilometre offshore, to then load into a ship moored in deep water
Recently appointed General Manager – Project Development, Mike James, is now working closely with Mining One to progress a number of mining components of the Feasibility Study for the Kolosori Nickel Project. Specifically, he will assist Mining One with, a mine optimisation analysis which will lead to mine schedules and planning for the Feasibility Study.
Mike has already begun engaging with local mining contractor and engineering groups as part of the feasibility work.
Mike is expected to be in country by the end of July to overlap with CEO Geoff Hiller who is currently in the Solomon Islands progressing the application of the required licenses for the project.
In the meantime, reports claimed Sunshine Nickel Limited is continuing with its activity on the other tenement on Jejevo.
Australian company, Malachite Resources Limited has acquired Sunshine Minerals Limited (“SML”), a private company incorporated in the Solomon Islands.
SML owns an 80% in Sunshine Nickel Limited (“SNL”) which holds PL 01/18 containing the Jejevo Nickel Project located on the south coast of Santa Isabel Island.
The remaining 20% of SNL is held by local landowners.
