Western Areas reports positive results for Cathedrals Prospect

Western Areas, the Australian nickel mining and exploration company, has announced that final assay results from BHP Billiton’s first two drill holes at the Cathedrals Prospect, in Western Australia, have confirmed that it is a high grade nickel/copper/PGE discovery with significant exploration upside.

Intersections from the two diamond drill holes first announced on 11 March are:
MAD 012 : 4.0m @ 4.9% nickel, 1.7% copper and 3.9g/t total PGE from 91.4m
MAD 013 : 3.0m @ 3.8% nickel, 1.6% copper and 2.7g/t total PGE from 56.3m
Including 1.4m @ 7.1% nickel, 3.0% copper and 4.2g/t total PGE from 57.6m.

The results are considered to be encouraging because the first drill holes intersect a previously untested geophysical target, which consists of fresh massive sulphide at shallow depth.

In addition, the mineralisation is completely open along strike and down dip and high grade nickel is associated with high copper and PGE values. Highest PGE assays are: 6.7g/t Palladium, 0.9g/t Platinum, 1.0g/t Rhodium.

The prospect forms part of a joint venture with BHP Billiton and further drilling is planned in the second-quarter of this year.