Tempest Minerals Ltd (ASX:TEM) expects to begin drilling this week at its 100%-owned Warriedar West Gold Project in Western Australia targeting intrusion-related gold system (IRGS) mineralisation.
An initial reconnaissance reverse circulation (RC) drilling program of around 2,500 metres will test three areas which contain surface anomalies including 8 g/t gold from rock chip sampling.
The company has received approvals from industry regulator DMIRS for the initial reconnaissance program which will test the silica caps present.
It will also test the extent of quartz veining and gold mineralisation at depth for the three highly altered targets in the northern portion of the project – Wee lode, OK Corral and Donut.
Three target areas
The company has identified three targets areas to carry out the initial reconnaissance programs.
Wee lode area is a mineralised discovery of outcropping quartz veining with extensive alteration and rock chips samples of up to 8 g/t gold at surface
OK Corral is a zone of heavily sheared intrusion with widespread parts per billion (ppb) to parts per million (ppm) gold anomalism in surface sampling.
Donut is a zone of heavily sheared intrusion with widespread ppb to ppm gold anomalism in surface sampling.
Warriedar West project
The project is spread over 333 square kilometres area and is around 400 kilometres north of Perth.
Based on fieldwork and analyses completed by Tempest, the project has an IRG signature in surface geochemistry.
The project is hosted within a porphyritic pluton of monzonite composition, which is part of a regional intrusive system known as the Walganna Suite.
This suite hosts numerous local and large-scale shear zones with multiple generations of gold-bearing quartz veins contained within an estimated alteration halo of 15 kilometres x 3 kilometres.
Gold and trace element anomalies typical of IRG-style mineralisation are present in the project and it includes considerable nugget-rich free gold exploited in modern times by prospectors as well as high-grade gold in rock chips.
Next steps
The company plans to begin drilling at selected targets within the Warriedar West project and it expects results from surface sampling program later this month.
Tempest is also undertaking surface sampling and drill planning at other projects within its portfolio.