Tempest Minerals Ltd (ASX:TEM) (FRA:LIF) aims to begin drilling at its 100%-owned Messenger Project in WA in February after exploration targets were highlighted in data analysis.
The targets have been identified in the high-grade gold system where historic holes reported up to 451 g/t gold.
Approvals are in place for the drilling, requisite logistical and earthworks activities are in progress and Tempest expects to begin drilling these targets in the current quarter.
Dally and Wally targets
The Dally target is the along with strike extension of the veins system exploited by historic underground mines and modern prospecting.
Previous drilling by others encountered extremely high grades including 2 metres at 228.92 g/t gold from 10 metres including 1-metre at 451 g/t, however, additional drilling in the area appears to have been incorrectly positioned to test the mineralisation.
Updated magnetic data and geological context has revealed the geometry of the underlying mineralisation.
Notably, VMS mineralisation in some instances presents as circular ‘bullseyes’ in magnetic data.
The Wally Target is a coincident circular magnetic and geochemical anomaly within volcanics and intrusives and is targeting gold and base metals.
Overview of Messenger Project (L) with Dally and Wally Targets (R)
Messenger Project
The project is 8 kilometres north of the prolific Golden Grove Copper-Zinc-Gold Mine and adjacent to the historic Messengers Patch mining area which had numerous high-grade mines (up to 10 ounces gold per tonne) and a state battery in the early 1900s.
The company recently added to the tenure portfolio due to increased prospectivity generated by the data analysis, and now holds a dominant position of 100 kilometres continuous strike length of the Yalgoo Goldfield.
A recent influx of explorers has complemented a number of high profile exploration successes which the company believes highlights the exceptional potential of this under-explored region.