Falconbridge, Trillion find more nickel in Ivory Coast

Toronto-listed partners Falconbridge and Trillion Resources have completed a program of 79 drill holes, totaling 2,800 metres, on their Biankouma-Sipilou nickel project in Ivory Coast, West Africa.

Using a 200-metre grid pattern, the joint venture focused on four new target areas east of the original Sipilou deposit. Previous work on the Sipilou outlined 51 million tonnes averaging 1.8% nickel and 0.1% cobalt. As a result of the latest drilling, Falconbridge estimates that three of the four target areas hold an in situ resource of 54 million tonnes averaging 2% nickel and 0.07% cobalt, at a cutoff grade of 1.4% nickel.

A follow-up program totaling 12,300 metres, along with limited metallurgical test work, is scheduled to start in October.

The companies believe the potential for finding additional tonnage is good, as several soil geochemical targets remain to be tested.

Falconbridge can earn a 60% interest in the property by funding and completing a feasibility study. Upon its completion, Trillion will have a 15% participating interest while the state-controlled mining arm SODEMI will have a 10% carried and a 15% participating interest.