Pantoro Ltd has unearthed multiple broad zones of very high-grade gold in grade control drilling at the Scotia Underground Mine, part of the Norseman Gold Project in Western Australia.
Results of particular note included 16.51 metres at 12.09 g/t gold, 4.51 metres at 23.57 g/t gold, 0.33 metres at 143.08 g/t gold and 1.19 metres at 32.74 g/t gold.
The drilling also confirmed the presence of mineralisation outside the current ore reserve, offering potential for an expansion to the mine plan.
Transitioning into production focus
"Scotia continues to demonstrate the potential to be a long-life, large-scale underground mine,” Pantoro managing director Paul Cmrlec said.
“Our immediate focus is on transitioning Scotia from a predominantly development-driven operation to a production-focused mine, with steady-state operations targeted by the end of the March 2025 quarter, as previously guided.
“The production ramp-up is progressing well, with stope drilling activities underway to ensure adequate drilled stocks for the coming periods.
“At the same time, we are continuing grade control drilling in areas scheduled for near-term development and preparing to significantly increase extensional exploration activities as additional underground drilling platforms become available.
“We remain confident in Scotia's long-term growth potential and its role as a high potential driver in our strategy to increase production to +200,000 ounces per annum in the medium term through the addition of underground mining operations."
PNR’s drilling has confirmed very high grades of gold are above, below and adjacent to the mine’s historical filled void, as well as promising strike extensions to the south.
Development drilling in the southern extension returned consistent high-grade mineralisation over about 70 metres of strike that was not previously included in the ore reserve modelling.
Given there is still plenty of grade control drilling left to complete, Pantoro is confident the positive results will continue, based on the broad, high-grade intersections of gold already encountered three levels below the current development horizon.
Full assay results
The full assays of note from grade control drilling at the central and southern Scotia orebody include (depths of between 8 and 281.46 metres):
- 16.51 metres at 12.09 g/t gold including 4.6 metres at 17.51 and 4.55 metres at 20.06 g/t;
- 4.51 metres at 23.57 g/t including 3.35 metres at 29.49 g/t;
- 5.50 metres at 18.85 g/t;
- 10.4 metres at 7.82 g/t including 6.90 metres at 9.5 g/t;
- 0.33 metres at 143.08 g/t;
- 0.59 metres at 79.1 g/t;
- 10.5 metres at 3.72 g/t including 1.50 metres at 19.79 g/t;
- 1.19 metres at 32.74 g/t;
- 7.75 metres at 4.97 g/t including 4.01 metres at 7.63 g/t;
- 4.75 metres at 6.84 g/t;
- 3.89 metres at 8.31 g/t;
- 1.99 metres at 15.22 g/t;
- 3.78 metres at 7.69 g/t;
- 7.95 metres at 3.79 g/t;
- 2.76 metres at 10.83 g/t;
- 5.42 metres at 5.02 g/t;
- 0.79 metres at 30.28 g/t;
- 6.0 metres at 3.97 g/t;
- 2.74 metres at 8.50 g/t;
- 1.85 metres at 11.7 g/t;
- 3.68 metres at 5.75 g/t;
- 0.82 metres at 25.65 g/t;
- 2.77 metres at 7.07 g/t;
- 5.84 metres at 3.29 g/t;
- 5.5 metres at 3.48 g/t;
- 9.12 metres at 2.06 g/t;
- 0.86 metres at 21.0 g/t;
- 3.0 metres at 5.94 g/t;
- 7.0 metres at 2.51 g/t;
- 2.09 metres at 7.07 g/t;
- 1.55 metres at 10.08 g/t;
- 5.50 metres at 2.73 g/t;
- 2.05 metres at 7.31 g/t;
- 2.59 metres at 5.72 g/t;
- 2.36 metres at 6.13 g/t;
- 0.62 metres at 22.63 g/t;
- 2.0 metres at 6.87 g/t;
- 2.90 metres at 4.72 g/t;
- 2.80 metres at 4.87 g/t;
- 1.93 metres at 7.05 g/t;
- 0.3 metres at 43.84 g/t;
- 4.52 metres at 2.84 g/t;
- 5.47 metres at 2.28 g/t;
- 0.30 metres at 39.0 g/t;
- 1.8 metres at 6.22 g/t;
- 1.62 metres at 6.75 g/t; and
- 0.63 metres at 17.05 g/t.