Yandal Resources Ltd says it has confirmed the continuity of broad zones of gold mineralisation at the Siona Discovery within the New England Granite (NEG) target area, part of the Ironstone Well–Barwidgee Gold Project in WA’s Yandal Greenstone Belt.
Consistent mineralisation
Assay results from recent diamond drilling at Siona have returned low-grade but consistent gold mineralisation with several higher-grade intercepts, including 16.3 metres at 0.5 g/t gold from 322.2 metres and 6.4 metres at 1.5 g/t gold from 103.5 metres, the latter including individual grades of up to 12.7 g/t.
The drilling program consists of four new holes and two diamond tails, targeting depth extensions below previous high-grade reverse circulation (RC) intersections.
Yandal Resources managing director Chris Oorschot said: “With the Siona discovery, Yandal Resources has demonstrated the capacity for the New England Granite to host gold mineralisation.
“Critically, Yandal Resources controls the full extent of this newly defined 2-kilometre by 4-kilometre granodiorite host within the Yandal Greenstone Belt.
Advanced understanding
“With diamond drilling complete, the team are now armed with an advanced understanding of the geological controls to mineralisation at Siona and is well placed to target and identify similar and potentially larger opportunities across the New England Granite.
“After six months of exploration following the discovery, it is becoming clear that gold mineralisation develops whenever the ghost granodiorite is deformed.
“Yandal Resources going forward will look to identify the optimal structural setting for gold mineralisation along the intrusive margin or internal to the NEG.
“Given the scale of the intrusive host, the company will shift its focus to aircore drilling to test key structural targets more efficiently.”
Yandal’s geological interpretation suggests that gold mineralisation occurs where deformation affects the granodiorite host, particularly along structural intersections and shear zones.
Broad mineralised zones are associated with quartz veining and silica-sericite-pyrite alteration, with visible gold observed in both RC and diamond core samples.
The company has developed a refined structural targeting model across the 2 kilometre by 4 kilometre granodiorite host.
This model will be tested through a 12,500 metre aircore drilling program at the Caladan target, scheduled to commence in the final week of May.
Once completed, the aircore rig will move to the NEG to test high-priority structural targets, including the Salusa Prospect and several zones along the western intrusive margin.
Heritage surveys for additional drill access across the NEG are also expected to take place in late May and early June.
Yandal remains well-funded and expects first results from Caladan in July, with follow-up work across the NEG to continue through the September quarter.