Nickel Creek Platinum has announced the completion of a drilling and geophysics programme conducted in Yukon, Canada, as part of the Nickel Shaw Project. The project involved a total of 3,300 metres of drilling, 2,000 metres of which comprised a Prefeasibility Study (“PFS”) at the Wellgreen deposit. Eight holes were drilled to support the conversion of mineral resources from inferred to indicated status and collect further geotechnical and hydrogeological data for waste dumping and tailings sites. A further 10 holes were drilled at a combined length of approximately 1,300 metres at the Arch exploration target, with a view to further scoping minerals discovered in 2021. The assay laboratory has accepted samples from the drilling efforts, with analytical results expected to be delivered in Q1 2023.
Who
Nickel Creek Platinum Corp is a Canadian exploration and development company. Its flagship asset, which it owns outright, is the Nickel Shaw Project. The large, undeveloped nickel sulphide deposit has a unique mix of resources, including copper, cobalt and platinum group metals. Its location in Canada’s westernmost territory of Yukon puts it in a highly favourable position in terms of local regulations around extraction. The project is also well appointed in terms of its surrounding infrastructure, with year-round access to deep-sea shipping ports via Whitehorse, which is a three-hour drive from the site along the Alaska Highway.
Why it matters
This is a landmark step for an exploration and development company that is a relatively new player on the market. The management team has been involved in the discovery, development, financing and operation of a number of large-scale projects, and the company shows all the signs of becoming a leading nickel, copper, cobalt and PGM producer in North America. Market conditions are currently highly favourable for expanding metal mining operations, with prices still close to their all-time high after Dow Jones metal indices peaked in March 2022. 
