In 2023, Kendrick Resources proudly expanded its portfolio with the acquisition of two promising nickel projects, Mjövattnet and Njuggträskliden, within the ‘Nickel Line’ region of Sweden.
The Mjövattnet and Njuggträskliden projects host magmatic sulphide Ni-Cu-Co-PGE mineral deposits, with existing historic non-compliant mineral resources that have the potential to be rapidly advanced towards pre-scoping studies. Notably, the PGE tenor of these projects has historically been underexamined, presenting an opportunity for further exploration.
The Mjövattnet and Njuggträskliden projects are situated south and west of Skellefteå in northern Sweden. Regional nickel exploration became a focus of the Swedish Geological Survey (“SGU”) and other state-run mining concerns in the 1970’s and early 1980’s, leading to the discoveries of EMX’s Mjövattnet and Njuggträskliden nickel-copper-cobalt-PGE deposits along what became known as the “Nickel Line” in north central Sweden. These projects lie adjacent to the renowned Skellefteå Mining District home to Boliden’s established mining operations, emphasizing their strategic location within a hub of mining activity.
The Mjövattnet nickel sulphide deposit, discovered in 1971, occurs along a structural corridor of similar mineralized bodies, including the Lappvattnet, Brännorna, and Lappbacken zones to the southwest each of which have drill defined zones of mineralization, with the latter two also lying within the license (Lappvattnet is currently held by a third party). Notes from the Swedish Geological Company (“NSG”) in 1987 state that Mjövattnet has only been partly explored and its depth potential remains unknown. Likewise, several clusters of nickel sulphide bearing boulders lie to the northeast and southeast (the Frangsmyran, Holmsvattnet, Långbacken and Vallen occurrences), the bedrock sources of which have yet to be identified.
This combination of drill defined nickel sulphide mineralization, which remains open in multiple directions, and the upside potential near the clusters of mineralized boulders makes the Mjövattnet project particularly attractive for further exploration.
Similarly, the Njuggträskliden Project, was discovered in the early 1970s through boulder tracing, which led to the identification of several mineralized outcrops. Multiple drill defined zones of nickel sulphide mineralization were delineated in the early 1980’s, many of which were recognized as being enriched in PGE’s, but only some of the collected drill core samples were analysed for PGE’s.
The drill defined zones of mineralization at Njuggträskliden remain open at depth, and the NSG noted in their summary report that a 10 kilometre corridor of similar boulder clusters with nickel sulphide mineralization remains to be explored at Njuggträskliden (source: report BRAP81007, SGU). These occurrences all lie within the license and represent considerable upside exploration potential. Since being drilled by the NSG, a few smaller companies have conducted limited exploration in the area, including twinning of some of the historic drill holes and reanalysing some of the historic drill core for PGE’s. However, little to no systematic exploration has taken place.
As the European Union shifts towards electric vehicle adoption, coupled with the establishment of the North Volt battery factory near Skellefteå, the nickel-copper sulphide deposits along the Nickel Line are strategically positioned to fill an expected increased demand for strategic raw materials. Kendrick Resources is poised to spearhead exploration efforts in this promising region, leveraging its partnership with EMX to unlock the full potential of Mjövattnet and Njuggträskliden.
