Aim-listed URU Metals has confirmed the presence of thicker, higher-grade nickel/copper/platinum group metals horizons beneath the historic openpit resource of the Zeb nickel project, in South Africa’s Limpopo province.

The company’s latest assay results and geological interpretations from a two-hole drilling programme also demonstrate that mineralisation at Zeb remains open along strike and at depth.

Some of the new mineralisation confirmed includes 2.27 m of nickel grading 0.27%, copper grading 0.17%, platinum, palladium and gold elements grading 2.27 g/t and 4 m of nickel grading 0.23%, copper grading 0.14% and platinum, palladium and gold elements grading 1.36 g/t.

URU says the Zone 2 mineralisation beneath the openpit Zone 1 area has mineralisation similar to that of Ivanhoe Mines’ Platreef mine and Valterra Platinum’s Mogalakwena Mining Complex, which are also based in South Africa.

Zone 2 had been an untested area beneath Zone 1 and has now confirmed the geological model. Two holes were drilled at a vertical angle to test the true depth of the mineralisation sequences and to test for down-dip continuity.

One of the holes intersected what it interpreted as Zone 3 mineralisation, which further validates the presence of semi massive to massive sulphides associated with the chonolith and supports the potential for a large, continuous magmatic system that hosts massive nickel sulphide.

Some of the Zone 3 intercepts include 1 m of nickel grading 0.60%, copper grading 0.14% and platinum, palladium and gold elements grading 0.57 g/t.

CEO John Zorbas says the latest results validate Zeb’s geological model and confirm the project has the scale and grade to become a significant critical metal asset.

“With mineralisation open in multiple directions, and several targets identified from a recent airborne magnetic and gravity survey, we are excited as ever about the growth runway ahead and look forward to updating the market on future exploration plans,” Zorbas concludes.