Empire Metals Ltd (AIM:EEE) said the latest drilling programme at its Pitfield titanium project in Western Australia has been completed and new extensive, thick zones of strongly weathered "saprolite" cap identified.
Samples will be used primarily for metallurgical test work and flowsheet development and to identify targets for the next round of diamond core and reverse circulation (in 2025).
In the completed programme, five holes, totalling 679 metres, were drilled at both the Thomas and Cosgrove exploration target areas.
All drill holes encountered extensive weathered zones from very near the surface to depths of around 60 metres, nearly double that previously encountered at the prospect, confirming the extremely soft and friable nature of the bedded sandstones.
“These significantly deeper intercepts of weathered sandstones at both target areas bode well for the development of a large-scale Mineral Resource Estimate for the higher-grade, high-purity anatase-rich weathered cap,” said the statement.
Standard hardness and grindability tests are underway, followed by bulk sampling for mineral separation and titanium extraction test work.
“The key observation from core logging is that the material characteristics of these highly weathered bedded sandstones will mean easier mining conditions and significantly less energy consumption required for comminution,” Empire added.
Drilling at Pitfield has now totalled RC holes for a total of 14,988m and 17 diamond core holes totalling 2,704m.
Shaun Bunn, Empire’s managing director, said the diamond drilling had been “extraordinarily successful”.
Core logging has confirmed the extensive depth of weathering, well over 60 metres from the surface in the zones targeted.
“This logging data will help verify the geological model used for the Exploration Target estimates and allow us to reduce our search area radius for high-grade, anatase-rich mineralisation and hence reduce the size and cost of the next phase of drilling.
"Furthermore, the excellent recovery of drill core achieved throughout the campaign ensures that we have more than sufficient representative samples of the weathered zone to accelerate the mineral separation test work.”