Havilah Resources Ltd (ASX:HAV) has discovered a major new iron ore deposit in the Grants Iron Ore Basin in South Australia.
The company’s recently completed 13-hole, 3,510-metre reverse circulation (RC) drilling program successfully intersected consistently thick iron formation in multiple drill holes over an area of at least 3.5 square kilometres in the western part of the basin.
To date, only handheld XRF results are available, and they indicate consistent average grades ranging from 21 - 24% iron.
Significant drilling results
The handheld XRF readings were collected by taking measurements through the heavy-duty plastic bags that hold the bulk samples for each metre.
These results are likely to be upgraded by conventional laboratory assays, which will be reported in due course.
READ: Havilah Resources seeks to grow iron ore resources at Grants through drilling program
This drilling is part of a comprehensive program of work currently being performed and funded by SIMEC Mining (an affiliate of the GFG Alliance) as part of their due diligence investigation of the commercialisation potential of Havilah’s Maldorky and Grants iron ore projects.
SIMEC Mining has exclusivity over the Maldorky and Grants projects through the end of 2018 and discussions regarding an extension have commenced.
The drilling program was planned and supervised by Havilah personnel.
Havilah’s technical director Dr Chris Giles said: “The drilling program has confirmed the original exploration concept for the existence of a thick, relatively shallow, iron formation in the Grants Iron Ore Basin.
“We are grateful to SIMEC Mining for having the vision to fund the exploration drilling that has resulted in this major new iron ore discovery for South Australia.
“The beauty is that the deposit starts near surface, lies only 11 kilometres from the Transcontinental Railway line and is just over a one-hour drive from Broken Hill, which makes it uniquely favourable for development.
“At this stage we can only guess at the potential size of the deposit, but based on the thickness of the iron formation and its areal extent, it is apparent that there exists significant resource potential.
READ: Havilah Resources grabs $6 million Investec Group facility to support North Portia divestment
“Ironically, the iron-rich lateritised cap on the deposit was mined from the Grants quarries by BHP in the 1890’s, as flux for the Broken Hill smelters but the primary iron deposit has lain essentially unrecognised until now.
“Havilah’s recognition of the exploration potential and patience in accumulating all of the ground covering the Grants Iron Ore Basin over a period of several years, has finally been rewarded with these substantial interim drilling results.”