GTI Resources Ltd (ASX:GTR) this week started the first phase of its spring exploration field activity following the settlement of acquisition and transfer of two mineral leases in Utah, USA, from Anfield Energy Inc.
Fieldwork will start within section 36, which is a recently acquired lease within GTI’s land position along a 5.5-kilometre mineralised trend.
It will consist of downhole geophysical logging and underground mapping and sampling and is expected to be followed by underground drilling where it is feasible.
The purchase of the leases serves to join the company’s Jeffery and Rats Nest projects and consolidate ownership across the contiguous interpreted mineralised trend.
According to the company, section 36 represents a robust development target with more than 1,300 metres of historical underground workings.
“Excited to be commencing program”
GTI executive director Bruce Lane said: “We are excited to be commencing our spring field program in Utah and to further explore the potential in the district for mine redevelopment and production of high‐grade uranium and vanadium.
"We look forward to provide more details and results as work progresses.”
Previous exploration
Exploration activities during the fourth quarter of 2020 focused on a strong exploration and development target within the Section 36 Mineral Lease.
Section 36 also includes historical underground production from two mines operated into the late 1970s as well as numerous small prospect adits that pre‐date larger-scale mining.
The prospectivity of this area was previously demonstrated by pXRF data and sample assays reported by the company.
As a follow up to this work, GTI completed underground mapping of the two prominent underground developments, coupled with high volume pXRF screening throughout these workings to define local characteristics of the mineralisation.
Through this work program, GTI has mapped more than 1,300 metres of underground development and pXRF screening has provided results as high as 19.64% triuranium octoxide (U3O8) and 6.08% vanadium oxide (V2O5).
The company believes that this early-stage exploration is only beginning to show the prospectivity of the project, strongly validating the acquisition of the leases as well as the overarching strategy to develop a uranium and vanadium project within the Henry Mountains uranium district.
Fieldwork
The field team consisting of two BRS professional staff will travel to Hanksville later this week where they will be met by a geophysical logging contractor.
This team will locate the historic drill holes, record GPS locations and identify the specific target hole for geophysical logging, which will be completed by a portable unit mounted on a UTV (calibrated at the US DOE facility in Casper, Wyoming).
It will also examine the underground mines to determine current conditions for drilling, map any exposed mineralisation, collect channel samples as appropriate and mark locations for follow-up drilling.
Results of this program will allow for the study of the controls and distribution of ore‐grade mineralised material, as well as generate data for the construction of a possible mineral resource.
The initial phase of the field program is expected to be completed by April 28, 2021.