St George Mining (ASX:SGQ) has commenced a major drill program to test gold and nickel sulphide targets at its 100% owned East Laverton Project in Western Australia.
Multiple gold targets will be drilled as part of an expanded program of 6,000 metres of planned drilling.
Furthermore, a diamond rig is being brought in to replace the reverse circulation rig at the Windsor nickel target, the most conductive nickel sulphide target identified to date at the project.
John Prineas, chairman, commented: “The reverse circulation drilling of gold targets is progressing well and we are working with our laboratory to ensure a quick turnaround for assays.
“We have secured a diamond drill rig at short notice and expect to be drilling this exceptional nickel sulphide target next week.”
Gold targets
The planned drilling will test a pipeline of gold targets on three major greenstone belts at East Laverton.
Gold anomalism has been identified in all three greenstone belts by past exploration.
The East Laverton Project is surrounded by major gold mines with the 8+ million ounce gold Tropicana deposit to the east and the 6+ million ounce gold Gruyere deposit to the north and the world class Laverton gold field to the northwest.
The priority gold targets in their respective belts at the East Laverton Project are as follows:
- Stella Range Belt: Cambridge North, Cambridge, Desert Dragon;
- Central Belt: Bristol; and
- Minigwal Belt: Athena, Ascalon.
Nickel target
The electromagnetic conductor to be drilled at the Windsor prospect has a very high conductivity of 210,000 Siemens.
The new down-hole electromagnetic (DHEM) plate to be tested has been modelled from the DHEM survey in hole WINDD004 that was drilled within 5 metres of the conductor.
Nickel sulphides in the drill core of WINDD004 support the potential for the EM conductor to represent massive nickel sulphides.
The reverse circulation drill rig was unable to complete a drill hole to test the highly conductive Windsor target due to swelling clays in the first 48 metres from surface.