Yandal Resources Ltd's (ASX:YRL) recent aircore drilling at the Gordons Gold Project has defined multiple new zones of significant gold mineralisation, extending the strike length of the Gordon’s Dam prospect to 1.5 kilometres.
A total of 158 holes for 7,819 metres with 10 reverse circulation (RC) holes for 562 metres and 148 aircore (AC) holes for 7,257 metres, was completed at the Gordons Dam, Malone, Cleft, Porphyry, Star of Gordon, Dickens Custer, Mulgarrie South, Mulgarrie North and Holloways prospects to test advanced and early-stage gold targets.
At Gordons Dam, 81 angled AC holes for 3,672 metres returned results of:
- 7 metres at 0.50 g/t gold from 48 metres and 1-metre at 0.11 g/t at end-of-hole;
- 1-metre at 0.50 g/t from 42 metres at end-of-hole; and
- 1-metre at 0.81 g/t from 49 metres.
“Substantial bedrock gold target”
The maiden diamond drill program comprising three holes for 943 metres has also been completed at Gordons Dam and geological logging and sampling has commenced with results pending.
Yandal Resources managing director Lorry Hughes said: “The evidence is mounting for a substantial bedrock gold target beneath surficial cover at Gordons Dam, we have now doubled the length of the exploration target zone at depth.
“The results of recently completed diamond drilling will be critical to improve our understanding of the controls on mineralisation beneath and adjacent to the known palaeochannel mineralisation.
“Directly southeast along strike from the palaeochannel area it is clear that there are multiple zones of mineralisation within porphyry and mafic rock types that warrant priority RC drilling, that work is now planned for the March quarter next year.”
Gordons Dam and Malone prospect collar plan over interpreted geology showing the new AC holes with assays received (purple triangles), new diamond holes being drilled (red stars) and new planned RC holes (yellow circles).
Malone prospect
A total of 24 vertical AC holes for 1,228 metres were completed to test for new shallow oxide and primary gold mineralisation at the Malone prospect.
Several notable intercepts were returned from the area 300-400 metres southwest along strike from the Gordons Dam palaeochannel mineralisation, including:
- 3 metres at 0.23 g/t from 17 metres;
- 1-metre at 0.46 g/t within 10 metres at 0.18 g/t from 59 metres; and
- 1 metre at 5.44 g/t or 2 metres at 4.73 g/t within 9 metres at 1.39 g/t from 58 metres.
The new mineralisation is open in all directions and in an area that has had limited historical drilling.
Follow up RC drilling beneath the 9-metre intercept will be completed prior to the RC rig demobilising in mid-December.
Star of Gordon prospect
A total of three angled RC holes for 188 metres were completed to test for new shallow oxide and primary gold mineralisation in the vicinity of historic workings at the Star of Gordon prospect.
Hole YRLRC0383 is interpreted to have drilled through an historic stope or void with significant mineralisation either side of the stope or void and returned results of:
- 1-metre at 1.17 g/t from 44 metres;
- 11 metres of stope/void fill from 45 metres; and
- 1-metre at 0.97 g/t and 1-metre at 1.15 g/t within 4 metres at 0.61 g/t from 59 metres.
Follow-up RC drilling beneath this hole will be completed prior to the RC rig demobilising.
New acquisitions
During the quarter, two tenement acquisitions were completed to purchase Prospecting Licences P27/2332 (Andrews prospect) and P27/2325 (Sheperd prospect) for a cash consideration of $20,000 and $45,000 respectively.
The consideration was for 100% of the tenements with no attached royalties.
These acquisitions provide walk-up RC drill targets and the company is compiling historic drilling and prospecting data and is preparing first pass AC and RC drilling programs for the March quarter of 2021.
Location map of key prospects within the Gordons gold project in relation to nearby operating third party gold mines, project tenure and regional geology.
December drilling plans
The RC rig is planned to demobilise from site in mid-December for servicing and resume the program as soon as practicable in the new year.
Hughes said: “RC drilling recommenced on December 9 to test new targets at the Gordons Dam palaeochannel, Malone and Star of Gordon prospects prior to cessation of drilling activities for 2020 in mid-December.
“Drilling will resume at our priority prospects as soon as practicable in the new year upon assessment of all pending results due in between now and the end of January 2021”.
Substantial follow-up RC and AC drilling programs are in the advanced planning stages to expand the known mineralisation at Gordons Dam with over 20,000 metres planned for completion in the March Quarter 2021.
Next steps
Key exploration activities planned during the December and March quarters at the Gordons project include;
- Review new AC results and plan follow-up RC program to commence in the March quarter 2021;
- Complete sampling and logging of diamond holes and compile a maiden mineral resource estimate for Gordons Dam;
- Resume +10,000m RC and +10,000m AC programs at numerous growth targets including Andrews, Malone, Powerline and Sheperd in 2021;
- Commence pit optimisation and technical activities for mining approvals at Gordons Dam; and
- Conduct metallurgical test work on available diamond core from Gordons Dam.