Deccan Gold Mines Ltd, India’s only listed gold and critical minerals mining company, has reported encouraging drilling results from its Bhalukona Nickel-Copper-PGE (Platinum Group Elements) Composite Licence in Chhattisgarh, marking a potentially significant development for India’s critical minerals sector.
The company said its maiden drilling campaign at Bhalukona has confirmed the presence of a layered mafic intrusive complex hosting wide zones of disseminated sulphides along with occasional heavy and massive sulphide lenses containing nickel, copper and palladium mineralisation.
Mineralised intersections
According to the company, the first drill hole intersected three mineralised gabbroic layers with a combined width exceeding 60 metres.
The drill hole intersected nearly 30 metres of potentially economic sulphide mineralisation grading above 0.2% nickel equivalent (Ni_Eq), with an average grade of approximately 0.4% Ni_Eq.
The highest-grade intersection recorded was 2.6 metres grading 1.01% nickel, 0.29% copper and 0.2 g/t palladium from a depth of 103.4 metres.
Ongoing drilling programme
Deccan Gold said it has so far completed nearly 1,200 metres of core drilling across seven drill holes over a prospective mineralised strike zone extending around 700 metres.
The company added that all drill holes have intersected varying widths of disseminated and heavy-massive sulphide mineralisation.
Microscopic analysis has confirmed the presence of pentlandite (nickel sulphide), chalcopyrite (copper sulphide) and pyrrhotite sulphides, further validating the geological significance of the discovery. Additional assay results from other drill holes are currently awaited.
Expansion plans
The company said the drilling programme will now be accelerated to establish a mineable resource and support mining lease applications at the earliest.
The Bhalukona-Jamnidih Composite Licence spans around 30 sq. km in the Mahasamund district of Chhattisgarh and was among the first nickel-copper-PGE licences granted in India following the Government’s push toward critical minerals exploration.
Deccan Gold also said geophysical surveys conducted across the licence area indicate the possibility of repeated mineralised zones within the project.
Important milestone
Deccan Gold Mines MD Dr Hanuma Prasad Modali said the discovery of significant nickel-copper-PGE mineralisation at Bhalukona marks an important milestone for the company and validates the project’s geological potential.
He said the encouraging sulphide mineralisation intersected during the initial phase of drilling reinforces the strategic relevance of the asset for India’s growing critical minerals ecosystem.
Dr Modali added that the company is accelerating drilling activities to define a mineable resource and fast-track mining lease applications. Subject to continued drilling success, he said the Bhalukona project has the potential to evolve into India’s first nickel-copper-PGE mine.