cr122007

EPM 19439 was originally granted to Marlborough Nickel Pty Ltd 100% for a term of 5 years on the 14th November 2013, over 100 sub-blocks. Currently it has 84 sub-blocks an expiry date of 13th November 2021.

This is the seventh annual report for EPM 19439. In the reporting period for Year 7 (period ending 13th November 2020) no on-ground exploration was carried out as Marlborough Nickel Pty Ltd was placed into administration in late 2016 and is now out of administration (from 26th March 2019). Substantial desktop mapping was done as part of new legislation requirements related to rehabilitation which provided an opportunity to map all access tracks, analyse historically disturbed ground for slope stability, map all excavations, spoil piles and other disturbance, and develop rehabilitation plans.

Marlborough Nickel Pty Ltd (MNPL) holds 16 granted Mining Leases, 1 Mining Lease application, and two EPMs (EPM 19439 and EPM 19547) within its ‘Gladstone Pacific Nickel’ project.

MNPL has completed major drilling programs on the nickel deposits within the ‘Gladstone Pacific Nickel’ project from 2005 to 2009 and further drilling in July 2014. These programs consisted of thousands of metres of reverse circulation drilling in over 500 holes over the ‘Gladstone Pacific Nickel’ Project (Mining Leases and EPMs). Additional RC drilling was also carried out. MNPL also completed wide diameter, Calweld drilling in selected holes to obtain sample material for metallurgical testwork. This test work was conducted in Perth and consisted of beneficiation screening and HPAL bench/pilot scale process testing.

Since completion of the technical programs, work on the ‘Gladstone Pacific Nickel’ project has principally focused on various aspects of project feasibility including the formulation of a mining plan and schedule, the investigation of ore transport options, and a review of infrastructure requirements, until late in 2016 when Marlborough Nickel was placed into Administration. No further exploration was carried out on EPM 19439 until April 2019, when Marlborough Nickel Pty Ltd was able to come out of administration.

Approximately $2.5M has been spent on technical work to increase the resources in the ‘Gladstone Pacific Nickel’ Project.

The Year 7 14/11/2019- 13/11/2020 DNRME approved work program is Desktop studies, geological and geophysical review, reconnaissance and geological mapping, GIS compilation and targeting based on satellite images.

EPM 19439（矿产勘探许可，Mineral Exploration Permit）最初于2013年11月14日授予马尔伯勒镍业私人有限公司（Marlborough Nickel Pty Ltd），独享100%权益，有效期5年，覆盖100个次级区块。目前该许可覆盖84个次级区块，有效期至2021年11月13日。

本报告为EPM 19439的第七份年度报告。在第7年度报告期（截至2020年11月13日）内，未开展任何实地勘探工作——因马尔伯勒镍业私人有限公司于2016年末被启动破产管理程序，并于2019年3月26日正式解除管理状态。期间，公司依据复垦相关的新法规要求完成了大量桌面制图工作，借此契机完成了所有通行道路的测绘、历史扰动区域的边坡稳定性分析、所有开挖作业、弃土堆及其他扰动痕迹的全域测绘，并制定了复垦方案。

马尔伯勒镍业私人有限公司（简称MNPL）在其「格拉德斯通太平洋镍业」项目范围内，持有16份已获批采矿租约、1份采矿租约申请，以及两份EPM（EPM 19439与EPM 19547）。

MNPL于2005年至2009年间，针对「格拉德斯通太平洋镍业」项目内的镍矿床完成了大规模钻探工程，并于2014年7月补充开展钻探作业。上述工程覆盖项目包含的采矿租约与EPM区块，累计完成超500个钻孔、总进尺数千公尺的反循环钻探（Reverse Circulation Drilling，RC）作业；此外还实施了额外的反循环钻探工作。MNPL还在选定钻孔中开展了大口径卡尔维德（Calweld）钻探，以获取用于冶金测试的岩心样品。该测试工作在珀斯完成，涵盖选矿筛分及高压酸浸（High Pressure Acid Leaching，HPAL）实验室/中试规模流程测试。

技术项目完成后，「格拉德斯通太平洋镍业」项目的后续工作主要聚焦于项目可行性研究的各维度，包括制定采矿计划与进度安排、调研矿石运输方案、评估基础设施需求，直至2016年末马尔伯勒镍业被纳入破产管理程序。自2019年4月公司解除管理状态后，才重新启动EPM 19439相关的勘探工作。

截至目前，公司已投入约250万澳元用于技术研发工作，以提升「格拉德斯通太平洋镍业」项目的资源储量。

第7年度报告期（2019年11月14日至2020年11月13日）经自然资源、矿产与能源部（Department of Natural Resources, Mines and Energy，DNRME）批准的工作内容包括：桌面研究、地质与地球物理审查、踏勘与地质填图、GIS数据整合及基于卫星影像的靶区优选。