Astral Resources NL has struck multiple zones of high-grade gold mineralisation at the Kamperman Deposit, part of its wholly owned Feysville Gold Project near Kalgoorlie, Western Australia.
Assays from the recently completed three-hole diamond drill program at Kamperman confirmed consistent high-grade gold across all holes.
Cross-section through Kamperman illustrating October 2024 MRE and drill trace, assay results and geological interpretation (see Figure 3 for section location).
Satellite development opportunity
“The Kamperman Deposit, which currently hosts a Mineral Resource Estimate of 2 million tonnes at 1.3g/t gold for 84,000 ounces, represents a near-term high-grade satellite development opportunity for inclusion in the Mandilla Gold Project Pre-Feasibility Study which is on-track to be completed in the June quarter,” managing director Marc Ducler said.
“This latest diamond drill program was designed both to improve our understanding of the structural controls to the high-grade gold mineralisation observed from previous drilling and to collect samples for metallurgical testing.”
The company is finalising the update to the mineral resource estimate for Mandilla, and expects to release it soon.
Highlights
Notable intercepts include:
- 20.5 metres at 3.61 g/t gold from 19.8 metres, including 0.6 metres at 25.9 g/t and 18.8 metres at 2.07 g/t from 72.2 metres, aggregating 112.6 gram-metres;
- 10 metres at 13.5 g/t from 62.3 metres, including 2.5 metres at 51.8 g/t, for a total of 149.2 gram-metres; and
- 20.8 metres at 2.15 g/t from 120 metres, including 3 metres at 26.6 g/t from 148.8 metres, returning 138.2 gram-metres.
“All three drill-holes returned substantial high-grade mineralised intersections. Drill-holes FRCD395 and FRCD396 successfully replicated the expected mineralised intersections, albeit without the exceptional high grades seen previously,” Ducler said.
“Metallurgical hole FRCD397A returned an intersection that matched the expected width and grade that was modelled in that area – and then surprised with an additional high-grade zone of 3 metres at 26.6g/t gold intersected at depth in a silicified porphyry as opposed to the sulphidic chloritized mafic that hosts the southern lode.”
These latest results reaffirm continuity of gold mineralisation in areas previously drilled, with two of the drill holes acting as twin holes to earlier high-grade intercepts.
Meanwhile, FRCD397A provided metallurgical sampling data from the southern lode, with the three-metre high-grade intercept not previously modelled.
Assays MRE and PFS pending
Assay results are pending from a recently completed 265-hole air-core program, while a 46-hole reverse circulation drill campaign is ongoing at Feysville.
“Our confidence in the ability of Kamperman to make a meaningful contribution to the Mandilla Gold Project economics as part of the upcoming pre-feasibility study is growing with every hole drilled,” Ducler said.
“On other fronts, we have recently completed a 265-hole air-core program at Feysville with assay results pending.
“A 46-hole RC program is underway comprising both in-fill and extensional drilling to the north of the Kamperman Deposit and a regional program following up significant historic gold intercepts across the wider tenement package.”
Separately, Astral has formally extended the offer period for its off-market takeover bid for Maximus Resources.
A notice under section 650D of the Corporations Act 2001 was lodged with the Australian Securities and Investments Commission on March 21, 2025.