Saturn Metals Ltd (ASX:STN) has discovered strong potential for additional gold mineralisation near the higher-grade hanging walls at its Apollo Hill Gold Project in WA.
The new zone immediately east of the hanging walls sits outside the Apollo Hill mineral resource and will potentially enhance the scale and quality of the major mineralised system.
Understanding mineralisation controls
Saturn managing director Ian Bamborough said the new zone’s identification east of the hanging wall terrain was another exciting development in the project’s evolution.
He noted the company’s growing understanding of the mineralisation controls from recent drilling, which had built confidence in the size potential of the gold system.
Positive indicators
Recent mapping and rock chip sampling in the area, part of Saturn’s efforts to build a more comprehensive picture of Apollo Hill’s geological potential, resulted in several positive indicators
These include:
More than 0.5 g/t gold assay results in rock chips up to 500 metres east of the recent stepout hanging wall drilling;
Quartz veins and associated mineral alteration;
Repetitions of host rocks and underlying geophysical signature; and
Continuation of goldcontrolling structures.
Rigs mobilising to site
Bamborough indicated this potential step-out target would be drill tested in coming weeks with rigs currently mobilising to site in lieu of a planned 13,000-metre reverse circulation drilling program.
Drilling will also further develop the higher-grade hanging wall zone where recent intersections have included: 17 metres at 2.96 g/t gold from 41 metres, within 51 metres at 1.08 g/t from 11 metres; and 7 metres at 6.59 g/t from 34 metres, within 35 metres at 1.67 g/t from 34 metres.
Resource upgrade to follow
Bamborough added: “In the meantime, the process of upgrading the existing Apollo Hill mineral resource, which incorporates all the results from the newly defined hanging-wall zone, is nearing completion.
“We anticipate delivering the upgrade to the current JORC 2012-compliant 685,000-ounce Apollo Hill mineral resource in the coming weeks.”
Apollo Hill is 60 kilometres southeast of Leonora in WA’s goldfields region and currently hosts 20.7 million tonnes grading 1 g/t gold for 685,000 ounces.
The project is surrounded by excellent infrastructure and several significant gold deposits and operations.