Alto Metals Ltd (ASX:AME) has encountered visible gold at 107.4 metres in drill hole SDD015 within a quartz-rich laminated shear zone during diamond drilling at Vanguard, part of the Sandstone Gold Project in Western Australia.
The intersection was discovered within a broad 20-metre-wide zone of extensional quartz veins, with distinct haloes of coarse-grained pyrite from 88.5 metres to 116.5 metres.
This is the first time diamond drilling has been undertaken at Vanguard, with the objective of evaluating the nature of the gold mineralisation and orientation of the mineralised structure.
Core is at the laboratory for cutting and assay while a further 16 diamond holes are pending, along with more than 120 reverse circulation (RC) holes from Lord Henry, Lord nelson, Vanguard and Indomitable.
Potential to host high-grades confirmed
Speaking to the result, managing director Matthew Bowles said: “The visible gold intersected at Vanguard confirms the potential of the trend to host high-grade gold mineralisation.
“The presence and orientation of this newly recognised laminated shear vein structure intersected in SDD015 at Vanguard, will greatly assist in interpreting the existing mineralisation and help to target extensions of this growing gold mineralised system.
“To date, drilling has defined mineralisation over a two-kilometre northwest-southeast trend, that remains open.
“We are looking forward to updating shareholders in the coming weeks on assays from a total of 16 diamond holes and over 120 RC holes that are currently pending from Vanguard, Lord Nelson, Lord Henry and Indomitable.”
The current diamond drilling program has been completed and RC drilling is continuing infill and step-out drilling at Vanguard.
Background
Recent drilling has more clearly defined mineralisation at the Vanguard and Vanguard North trends, with both extended along strike and down dip.
Overall mineralisation of both trends is now defined over 2,000 metres and remains open.
Regionally, the Vanguard Camp is within a 20-kilometre northwest-southeast trending corridor which also hosts the Indomitable and Havilah deposits.
Upcoming activities
Alto’s maiden diamond drilling program has now been completed with a total of 17 holes for 3,425 metres drilled.
Assays also remain pending for over 120 RC holes from Lord Henry, Lord Nelson and Vanguard. RC drilling is ongoing.
As the company is continuing to experience delays in assay turn-around time, RC drilling has been reduced to one rig to allow time for receipt of a number of pending assays.
The ongoing RC drilling is currently focused on resource definition and extensional drilling at Vanguard.
Upcoming results expected to be received over the coming months include:
- RC results from Lord Henry – infill and extensional;
- RC results from Lord Nelson – infill and extensional;
- RC results from Vanguard – infill and extensional; and
- DD results from Lord Nelson, Orion Lode, Lord Henry, Vanguard and Indomitable.