Maximus Resources Ltd (ASX:MXR, OTC:MXRRF) has completed an infill and resource extension drill program at the Hilditch Gold Project near Kambalda in Western Australia with shallow results of up to 4 metres at 12.44 g/t gold from 47 metres including 1 metre at 25.93 g/t.
The 26-hole reverse circulation (RC) drill program for 1,514 metres intersected consistent shallow gold mineralisation within a targeted optimised pit shell, demonstrating the potential to improve mineral resource classification.
Other strong results include:
- 5 metres at 2.10 g/t gold from 4 metres and 1 metre at 2.54 g/t from 18 metres;
- 11 metres at 1.14 g/t from 15 metres including 4 metres at 2.17 g/t from 18 metres;
- 3 metres at 3.77 g/t from 42 metres including 1 metre at 9.12 g/t from 42 metres;
- 4 metres at 2.32 g/t from 69 metres including 1 metre at 4.24 g/t from 72 metres;
- 6 metres at 1.03 g/t from 63 metres including 1 metre at 1.90 g/t from 64 metres and 1 metre at 2.17 g/t from 68 metres; 3 metres at 2.04 g/t from 83 metres; and
- 3 metres at 1.25 g/t from 0 metres including 1 metre at 2.28 g/t from 2 metres.
Enhance confidence
“This completed RC program drilling aims to bring a significant portion of the Hilditch resource into the higher confidence JORC indicated category and additional metallurgical testing required for the completion of development studies,” Maximus’ managing director Tim Wither said.
“The latest results continue to enhance geological confidence at Hilditch and demonstrate the potential for further exploration to delineate and expand the resource.
“Hilditch’s shallow gold resource represents a potential near-term gold production opportunity for Maximus, located within a short trucking distance to several regional gold processing plants.”
About Hilditch
The Hilditch Project is on a granted mining tenement 25 kilometres from Kambalda and is one of several promising regional gold deposits within the company's Spargoville tenements.
It is ideally situated next to the Coolgardie-Norseman highway and near several toll-treating processing plants.
The Hilditch mineral resource estimate (MRE) stands at 19,500 ounces at 1.3 g/t gold with shallow mineralisation starting at surface. Mineralisation remains open at depth with significant strike extensions yet to be tested.
The completed RC drill program aimed to upgrade additional material to the higher confidence JORC indicated category. Several representative samples are being submitted for waste classification, in preparation for the submission of environmental approvals at Hilditch.
The drilling program aimed to build on previous shallow, high-grade gold intercepts including 7 metres at 7.9 g/t gold from 51 metres including 2 metres at 16.9 g/t from 52 metres; 7 metres at 3.7 g/t from 11 metres including 1 metre at 18.6 g/t from 16 metres; and 6 metres at 3.4 g/t from 30 metres including 2 metres at 8.1 g/t from 34 metres.
MRE update
A follow-up drill program of six holes for about 700 metres at Hilditch is being incorporated into an upcoming RC drill program targeting further high-grade mineralisation, in preparation for a mineral resource estimate (MRE) update.
This program is scheduled to commence before the end of August 2024 at Eagles Nest, Hilditch and the 8500N gold deposits with the targeted infill drilling to be within optimised open pit shells to improve resource confidence classification and further metallurgical test work.
The existing 19,500-ounce Hilditch gold resource is on granted mining tenements, with excellent access to infrastructure and several toll-treating options within a ~60-kilometre haulage distance.
Permitting progress
Maximus is advancing several environmental permitting workstreams across the Spargoville gold resources, in preparation for the submission of a Mining Proposal and a Mine Closure plan to permit several projects.
“The company has completed internal studies to understand the pathways to production and has advanced preparations for the Mining Proposal and Mine Closure submission for open-pit mining operations across the Spargoville tenements,” Wither said.
“Maximus continues to target shallow open pit resources, through efficient drilling, and as our geological understanding of the deposits continues to grow, so does the potential across Maximus’ fertile tenements.”
Test work success
To further assess the economic viability of the deposit, preliminary metallurgical test work of the Hilditch open-pit resource showed encouraging results, with gold recoveries between 91.4% and 95.8%.
The tests were conducted on samples over a range of gold grades and various stages of weathering and oxidation, ensuring adequate spatial representation of expected mining depths throughout the resource.
High recovery rates across the Hilditch deposit suggest it is amenable to standard gold extraction techniques, reinforcing the resource's potential for efficient processing and robust economic viability.
Several representative holes have been collected for additional metallurgical testing to determine gravity recoveries, grind size and reagent consumption of the Hilditch mineralisation.
Delay in results
Maximus also advises of a delay in assay results from offset drilling at the Wattle Dam Project, with the resubmission of samples for alternative assay methods and results are expected by the end of August 2024.
“The company also advises a delay in assay results from the completed Wattle Dam offset drilling program. Multiple samples from selected intervals have been resubmitted for assaying due to a variance outside the company's internal QA/QC tolerances,” Wither added.
“Samples have been submitted for an alternative assaying method, increasing sample volume to mitigate similar QA/QC issues.”