Aurumin Ltd (ASX:AUN) has completed a reverse circulation (RC) drilling campaign at its 100%-owned Mt Palmer project, which is around 40 kilometres ESE of Southern Cross in Western Australia.
The company has completed 32 holes for 2,563 metres designed to test for extensions to specific lodes in and around the historic mine and extensions north and south of the mine footprint.
All initial samples have been dispatched to the assay laboratory and results are expected in mid-June.
Mt Palmer has a history of high-grade production, producing about 158,000 ounces of gold at 15.9 g/t before ceasing commercial operations in 1944.
Testing potential from existing mine
Aurumin managing director Brad Valiukas said: "We are delighted to have successfully completed this first program at the historical high-grade Mt Palmer mine site.
“There has been a lot of preparation work, including digitising paper plans from the 1930s and '40s.
"This drilling is in line with our strategy of testing remnant potential and working out from the existing mine.
“We are looking forward to the results for this high-potential project. "
Drilling at Mt Palmer
Geological logging indicated that quartz-bearing structures with associated chlorite-biotite alteration were intercepted across multiple holes in orientations consistent with historically mined lodes.
During the drilling, smaller proximal parallel structures were also intercepted, and the mining records indicate high-grade shoots were developed within stratabound veins on the limbs and closures of pre-existing folds.
The workings at Mount Palmer were mined from 1934 to 1944 and produced a total of 310,715 tonnes at an average gold grade of 15.9 g/t.
This deposit was mined over 360 metres with individual lodes mined over a strike length of 200 metres and to depths of 155 metres from the surface with most of the production coming from the Main Lode and East Lode.
The Main, East, West and New Lodes were accessed from the main shaft while the Egan Lode was mined from a separate shaft to the north of the main shaft.