Southern Gold Ltd (ASX:SAU) is set to begin drilling the first of two diamond drill holes at the Deokon Main Mine of the Deokon Gold-Silver Project in South Korea next week, targeting largely untested extensions of the mine’s mineralisation.
The mine historically produced very high grades of up to 59.3 g/t gold and 9,708 g/t silver over a 240-metre vertical extent.
Southern Gold’s efforts will be the first drilling completed at Deokon since South Korean government agency KMPC ceased drilling 40 years ago.
Untested potential at Deokon
“We are extremely pleased to commence our 2023 drilling campaign next week at Deokon, and in particular the highly prospective high-grade Gold-Silver Deokon Main Mine which is untested by Southern Gold since acquiring the project in 2018, and which remains open along strike and at depth,” Southern Gold managing director Robert Smillie said.
“The gravity survey undertaken last year has really helped firm up our drill targets and the team and I are excited to see positive results from this program before the rig moves to drill test targets at our Goseong Copper-Gold-Silver project.”
SAU’s review of data from Deokon has revealed most drilling by KMPC failed to reach the main Deokon vein.
The company’s gravity survey over the main vein revealed a northeast-southwest trend with an associated gravity high, interpreted to be an uplifted fault block – a geological feature which occurs at other epithermal gold-silver deposits such as Hishikari in Japan and Waihi in New Zealand.
Apart from the main lode, Southern Gold also intends to drill two holes at the 'Golden Surprise Trend' discovered in 2019 from surface sampling.
Although permitting and land access agreements have yet to be finalised, this area is a priority for SAU, as surface sampling produced bonanza gold grades up to 78.6 g/t gold and 13,000 g/t silver, exceptionally high-grade results.
SAU’s planning is also on track for drilling at Goseong, where the company secured four new exploration licences in January.
Data from a drone magnetic survey and soil programs are being incorporated into the drill program, with results expected next month.