Recent drilling by Sunstone Metals Ltd (ASX:STM) at the Limon gold-silver discovery in southern Ecuador has further expanded the Central Shoot and uncovered new mineralised zones.
Working towards maiden resource
The findings bolster the company’s work to establish a maiden mineral resource estimate at Limon.
Recent drilling has continued to yield strong results, with key highlights including 50.85 metres at 1.43 g/t gold equivalent (AuEq) from 135.15 metres in hole LMDD051.
This intersection includes a high-grade segment of 5 metres at 5.81 g/t AuEq, with very high silver grades reaching up to 1,610 g/t over a 0.45-metre interval.
Meanwhile, drill hole LMDD048 intersected 16.35 metres at 1.06 g/t AuEq from 45 metres, further expanding the Central Shoot and identifying new shallow mineralised areas south of the initial discovery.
Limon gold in soils map showing extensive anomalous gold over an area of up to 1.7 kilometres by 700 metres.
“Limon just keeps getting bigger with virtually every drill hole as we expand the known mineralisation and increase our understanding of the Limon system,” managing director Patrick Duffy said.
“This is a large gold-silver system that comes to surface and the boundaries are still not defined. These results will help underpin a maiden resource estimate at Limon.
“We are very encouraged to see some spectacular high grades in both silver and gold.
“The widths, grades and very shallow nature of the gold-silver mineralisation all augur very well for a maiden resource and potential open pit mining scenarios that will complement the Bramaderos porphyry gold-copper-silver discoveries.”
The latest findings indicate that the mineralisation extends into new areas, particularly in the diorite host rock, where strong mineralisation was observed.
This strengthens the geological model and supports the ongoing development of a near-surface resource at Limon.
Broader strategy
Sunstone’s broader strategy involves a two-phase development plan, focusing initially on the Limon gold-silver deposit, followed by the adjacent Bramaderos porphyry gold-copper-silver discoveries.
The Bramaderos Project benefits from its strategic location along the Pan American highway, with access to renewable energy and strong community support, which enhance the project's economic viability.