Galileo’s Norseman Bet Strengthens with Gravity Survey and Drill Prep

Galileo Mining (ASX: GAL) has kicked off a detailed ground gravity survey at its Norseman project in Western Australia, a move aimed at unlocking the structural secrets of its platinum group element (PGE) prospects as the explorer sharpens its focus on follow-up drilling later this month.

The survey will span the highly prospective mafic-ultramafic sill complexes around the company's flagship 17.5 million tonne Callisto deposit and the parallel Mission Sill prospect. The gravity program, now underway, is expected to wrap up in November, with interpretation of results slated for December or early January.

Managing Director Brad Underwood says the goal is to refine geological models and improve target selection in what has already proven to be fertile ground.

“Our discovery of the 17.5 Mt Callisto PGE-nickel-copper deposit in 2022 highlighted the previously unrecognised potential of this new mineral province,” Underwood said. “We aim to make further discoveries by collecting high quality geophysical and geological datasets to improve our understanding of the key controls on mineralisation.”

The gravity data will help map the structural framework that localises sulphide mineralisation within the ultramafic sills — the same geological model that led to the Callisto find. According to the company, mineralisation at Callisto occurs in the basal units of these sills, with controlling cross-structures potentially acting as conduits for late-stage mineralised intrusions.

But it’s not all gravity and theory. Galileo is also preparing to get back on the tools, with an RC drilling program scheduled to begin later this month at the Mission Sill prospect, where previous aircore drilling turned up some eye-catching assays. Notably:

• 7 metres at 3.87 grams per tonne 3E (palladium, platinum, gold) from 28 metres, including a 1 metre hit grading 13.74 g/t gold with 3.21 g/t Pd and 0.2 g/t Pt (hole NAC759)

• 1 metre at 3.35 g/t 3E from 72 metres, including 2.21 g/t palladium

• 1 metre at 1.62 g/t 3E from 17 metres, with 1.26 g/t gold

The upcoming RC campaign will target the eastern contact zone of the Mission Sill, chasing high-grade seams and aiming to locate the critical mafic-ultramafic contact thought to control mineralisation.

The Norseman region remains relatively underexplored for PGE mineralisation, and Galileo’s tenement package — which includes mining, exploration, and prospecting licences — gives the company over 255 square kilometres of prospective ground.

Following the Callisto discovery in 2022, which Galileo touts as the first deposit of its kind identified in Australia, the explorer is hoping lightning might strike twice — or more — along the 20-kilometre Callisto trend and the 12-kilometre Mission Sill corridor.

With gravity data incoming, drill rigs being mobilised, and commodity prices still broadly supportive, Galileo is making a strong play to convert Norseman’s potential into its next PGE prize.