Yandal Resources Ltd (ASX:YRL) is set to begin a 10,000 metre drilling program in May as part of open-pit mining feasibility work at the Flushing Meadows prospect within the Ironstone Well Gold Project in Western Australia.
These work streams will include resource and reserve definition, grade control simulation, metallurgical, geotechnical and hydrogeological studies.
During the quarter ending March 31, the company’s Flushing Meadows prospect continued to return ‘excellent’ results from shallow oxide material such as:
- 5 metres at 5.84 g/t gold from 33 metres, including 9 metres at 5.14 g/t from 41 metres; and
- 12 metres at 3.44 g/t from 47 metres.
The company’s cash position as at March 31 was $4.4 million which ensures adequate funding to carry out aggressive exploration programs in 2020.
June quarter activities
In the current June quarter Yandal plans to focus on the following activities:
- Receive/interpret all pending assays from the Barwidgee and Gordons projects;
- Complete 2,800m AC drilling program at the Gordons project;
- Complete 6,000m infill RC program at Flushing Meadows and commence diamond drilling program for geotechnical and metallurgical purposes;
- Start planning for a Heritage survey over priority exploration areas including the Flushing Meadows Resource as part of ongoing drilling and mining approvals activities; and
- Begin Flushing Meadows MRE update and associated pit optimisation studies.
Next phase of feasibility “designed” and budgeted
Managing director Lorry Hughes said: “The next phase of feasibility study activity is designed, budgeted and will commence at Flushing Meadows in May with 6,000 metres of infill RC drilling to increase confidence in the grade and continuity of shallow resources.
“Geotechnical, hydrogeological, metallurgical and grade control work streams will commence toward the back end of the infill program.
“Yandal’s exploration and development programs are currently largely unaffected by intrastate travel restrictions announced by the Western Australian Government on March 31 which have been put in place to assist reducing the spread of the global pandemic COVID-19 virus.
“Appropriate protocols to reduce the associated risks to employees and contractors have been put in place for both office and field operations.
“The board is monitoring the situation closely in case further action is required.”
The advanced Flushing Meadows prospect occurs within the regionally extensive Barwidgee Shear Zone, around 60 kilometres south-west of the mining town of Wiluna and within close proximity to a number of operating gold mines and major development projects.
Ironstone Well & Barwidgee Projects - Reconnaissance Prospects
New reverse circulation (RC) and air-core (AC) drill testing of exploration targets along strike from Flushing Meadows plus a number of regional targets were planned to be completed during the March Quarter however the majority of the programs were delayed due to rain and operational rescheduling.
Individual 1-metre assay results were received from AC and RC drilling completed in the December Quarter 2019 from the Flushing Meadows North, Flushing Meadows, Flushing Meadows South, Flinders Park and Copan prospects.
The drilling comprised 17 RC holes for 2,003 metres and 44 reconnaissance AC holes for 4,600 metres.
Drilling planned at the Oblique and Quarter Moon prospects has been deferred until the completion of RC and diamond drilling to support the Flushing Meadows Feasibility Study.
Mt McClure Project
Several options to advance the project toward the definition of Mineral Resources and scoping studies are under review ahead of drilling programs which have been deferred until the September Quarter.
Gordons Project
A total of 47 AC holes for about 2,800 metres are planned to test priority targets at the Gordons Dam, Mt Jewell, Mulgarrie Dam, Hut Dam, Powerline and Star of Gordon prospects.
Most of the drilling will target extensions to known mineralisation immediately north and south of Gordons Dam.
The AC program was delayed due to rain and has been rescheduled to begin in April 2020.