Meteoric Resources Ltd (ASX:MEI) (FRA:RNF) has started the 2021 field season at Palm Springs Gold Project in the Halls Creek region of Western Australia with the aim of extending recently discovered mineralisation further southwest.
Following the success of the initial exploration program in 2020, a further 7,000 metres of drilling is planned at Butchers Creek, beginning in May targeting high-grade fold-hinge gold mineralisation and to confirm and extend historic high-grade drilling beneath the Butchers Creek open pit.
A field reconnaissance visit to Halls Creek is underway as the company plans a detailed magnetic survey to map out the subsurface distribution of the host trachyte as well as an IP survey to look for disseminated sulphides that may be associated with additional gold mineralisation outside the main Butchers Creek zone.
“Happy to be back on site”
Managing director Andrew Tunks said: “In WA we are very happy to be back on site at Palm Springs to finalise the planning for both our drilling campaign and the de-watering of the Butchers Creek open pit.
“At this stage, we are looking to commence a 7,000-metre drill program in May which will have three objectives - to extend the mineralisation further southwest past last year’s excellent drilling results, to target the anticlinal fold hinge where we achieved really exciting high-grade results in 2020 and to confirm historic high-grade intersections below the pit floor."
Drilling to recommence in Brazil
At Meteoric’s Juruena Project in Brazil, the company has made its first observation of mineral bornite outside the Juruena Fault Zone at Crentes which adds further conviction to the porphyry search.
Minor delays to the drill program have been a result of several workers returning positive COVID tests and the need to briefly evacuate the site.
Based on local medical advice, all non-infected staff are returning to site over the next few days, with drilling to recommence next week.
Upgraded Juruena resource estimate in April
Tunks continued: “In Brazil, we expect to be back drilling this week after a short delay due to a COVID occurrence at site.
“The initial hole (JUDD042) will recommence at around 650 metres depth in a zone of strong phyllic alteration where geologists have noted quartz-molybdenite veins and veins of quartz, pyrite, chalcopyrite and bornite in the core.
“This is the first time MEI geologists have recognised bornite in drilling outside the Crentes Fault Zone and adds further conviction to our porphyry search.”
An upgraded mineral resource estimate for the Juruena Project encompassing the last two years of Meteoric’s successful drilling focused at the Dona Maria and Crentes prospects is approaching completion and will be made available to the market before the end of April.