Operations

Geology

The Savannah sulphide rich nickel, copper and cobalt orebody is hosted by the layered mafic-ultramafic Savannah Intrusion which is enveloped by aluminous metasediments and para-gneisses of the Tickalara Metamorphics. The Savannah Orebody is mostly confined to a marginal norite unit up to 40 metres thick developed about the base of the intrusion. Areas of massive, matrix and disseminated sulphide mineralisation, dominated by pyrrhotite, chalcopyrite, pentlandite and minor pyrite occur throughout the marginal norite unit.

Prior to the development of the Savannah Open Pit, the marginal norite unit outcropped as a prominent 250 metre long limonite-goethite gossan with fresh sulphide mineralisation developing approximately 20 metres below surface. At approximately 500 metres below the surface, a significant sub-horizontal fault, the 500 Fault, cuts the orebody and offsets it 200 metres to the northwest. Mineralisation above the 500 Fault is referred to as the “Upper Zone” and below the 500 Fault as the “Lower Zone”.