QMines Ltd (ASX:QML) has struck gold at the Cawarral and Mt Wheeler Goldfields within the Mt Chalmers Copper and Gold Project in Queensland, with bonanza results of 256 g/t gold in rock chips and 3 metres at 154 g/t from a single drill hole.
Other bonanza-grade rock chip samples included 157 g/t, 89.4 g/t, 80.95 g/t and 156 g/t gold.
The very high-grade results were revealed in a review of historical data for the Mt Chalmers Project, combining exploration work undertaken by Geopeko, Newmont Holdings, Zhong Haa Mining, Outokumpu Exploration, Marlborough Gold Mines and CRA Exploration.
QML intends to conduct first-pass drilling on this new target area once scheduled drilling at the Develin Creek and Artillery Road prospects is complete.
High-grade historical production
The report compiled from this data revealed the bonanza rock chip samples originate from multiple locations in a broad area within the Cawarral and Mount Wheeler Goldfields, which sit about 6 kilometres to the northeast and along strike from the historical Mt Chalmers mine.
As a known goldfield, the area has several small-scale historical operations that produced high-grade gold, including:
- Galawa Mine - 2,973 ounces at 62 g/t gold;
- Annie Mine - 9.098 ounces at 37 g/t gold; and,
- Last Chance Mine - 3,900 ounces at 42 g/t gold.
Mount Wheeler, Cawarral and Constitution Hill Goldfields
QMines believes previous exploration in this area has been wholly insufficient and that there is “significant potential for the discovery of an economic gold deposit with further exploration drilling.”
The company will continue to compile rock chip data alongside field reconnaissance to gain a better understanding of gold potential and structural geological controls on the mineralisation.
Once complete, QML will design a drilling program to assess the area’s potential for an economic high-grade gold deposit, which would further enhance the economics of the Mt Chalmers Copper and Gold Project.