Blackham Resources Ltd’s (ASX:BLK) drilling has extended the mineralisation beyond current mining areas at the high-grade Golden Age orebody at the Wiluna Gold Project in Western Australia.
From March 2018 to May 2018, Blackham drilled 19 surface reverse circulation holes (2,117 metres) and 30 underground diamond holes (2,331 metres) focused on extensions to the Golden Age deposit.
Highlight drilling results include:
• 2 metres at 28.3 g/t gold from 75 metres;
• 6 metres at 7.97 g/t gold from 106 metres; and
• 2.1 metres at 43.6 g/t gold.
READ: Blackham Resources drill results reveal potential for new open pits
The drilling has confirmed that the Golden Age mineralisation is open both down and down dip, with mining to increasingly target the extensions defined from this drilling.
Blackham executive chairman Milan Jerkovic said: “Blackham is pleased to announce new drill results from our high-grade Golden Age orebody which have identified significant extensions to mineralisation within 200 metres of existing underground development.
“Based on the highly encouraging intercepts, planning has commenced for further drilling to better define the mineralised extensions and to support early underground development to provide additional high-grade ore to feed the Wiluna gold plant, which last quarter produced 20,631 ounces at AISC A$1,092 per ounce”.
READ: Blackham Resources finds more effective processing option for Wiluna transitional gold ores
The Golden Age underground mine is accessed via the Bulletin portal located 2.5 kilometres from the 1.8 million tonnes per annum Wiluna gold plant.
The Golden Age workings commenced in the 1890’s and about 180,000 ounces at 9 g/t gold has been produced to date, with strong cash flows generated for the company in the last three quarters.
Golden Age lower extensions
The recent drilling results strongly support the potential for the continuation of underground mining at Golden Age and further drilling is now being planned (to commence in Jul-Aug’18) to establish an initial resource in this area.
Positive results may provide the catalyst for early access via the nearby Calais Decline to enable a substantial increase in the mining rate.