An internationally experienced independent expert in nickel laterite exploration data and modelling has praised Perth-based specialist mineral exploration company Resource Mining Corp for its innovative drilling and sampling exploration procedures. Independent geological consultancy GeoRes has just completed a due diligence study on mineral exploration procedures being used at the Wowo Gap nickel laterite project located in remote terrain in South East Papua New Guinea.

Resource Mining Corporation has taken an innovative approach to drilling, employment, transport and logistics because of the project’s remote mountainous location and a desire to employ local villagers. “We operate 200 km due east of the PNG capital of Port Moresby where there are no roads and transport is via a day’s walking or by expensive helicopter. Because we want to engage with local landowners in a sustainable way we have had to come up with new and innovative solutions to exploring for nickel in a tropical rainforest environment,” said Davies.One of the innovations has been to use a custom made man-portable core drilling rig capable of much faster, higher quality and more cost effective drilling using a largely unskilled local workforce.”The idea for an auger-based drill rig actually came from technology being used to dig fence posts in farming and we’re delighted this innovation and others has been independently verified as being well founded, completely applicable to good exploration of a nickel laterite type deposit and meeting high international standards,” said Davies.The site visit and study was undertaken specifically to meet NI 43-101 standards for technical reporting of mineral projects.”We want to set worldclass standards for this world class nickel deposit and access to Canadian-based capital is an important part of our long term strategy,” said Davies.