Resolution Minerals Ltd (ASX:RML) has started a trenching program at the Tourmaline Ridge Prospect within its 64North Gold Project in Alaska.
The 64North Project contains more than 20 gold prospects and one porphyry prospect, with combinations of favourable host rocks, structural regime, proximity to the right age source rocks, surface geochemistry and geophysical signatures.
Resolution has received rock chips up to 118 g/t gold, indicating high-grade potential with year-around access.
The company has spent much of the 2021 field season capitalising on the geochemical, geophysical and remotely sensed dataset collected during the 2020 field season.
Tourmaline Ridge a priority
According to the company, ground assessment at Tourmaline Ridge can be done during the summer months and is a priority target for trenching using historic rock chip data.
Resolution is also constructing an access road, which will ensure that the process has year-round access for further activities.
The company believes that trenching will outline the exact location of high-grade mineralised structures, which can then be targeted directly with IP geophysics and further trenching.
Potential for mineralisation
Resolution managing director Duncan Chessell said: “The Tourmaline Ridge Prospect, with rock chips over 100 g/t gold, is the immediate focus for an extensive trenching program 2 kilometres west of our Sunrise Prospect.
“The presence and grade of gold in rock chips over a large area highlight the potential for significant mineralisation close to the surface.
“Trenching is a highly effective low-cost method to define the scale and structures of the gold mineralisation.
“A road is being bulldozed now to enable access from the existing all-weather Pogo Gold Mine Road and trenching will commence shortly.”
Drill targets at East Pogo
The company has identified deeper drill targets at East Pogo with a 3-hole, 1,600 metres core drilling program planned for next year to follow up the encouraging results.
It will focus on the highest priority regional targets with primary focus on the North Pogo, South Pogo, Last Chance and East Pogo blocks.
“Proximity to gold-bearing system”
Chessell said: “In addition, we have designed a follow up three-hole 1600 metres deeper drilling program in the immediate vicinity of East Pogo RC hole 21EP008 to test for high-grade Pogo-Style gold mineralisation.
“Recent RC drill results and geophysics surveys indicate proximity to a gold-bearing system from pathfinder elements below our previous drill holes.
“This next round of drilling will access those depths.
“Due to rig availability, location and season, drilling will be undertaken next summer.
“This prospect is a high-value target.
“The 64North Project is a highly prospective district surrounding the world-class high-grade operating Pogo Gold Mine positioned in the well-endowed Tintina Gold Province, which is home to over 100 million ounces of gold deposits across the Yukon and central Alaska.”
Elaine porphyry prospect
Resolution is undertaking ground assessment activities at the Kramer Gold Prospect and Elaine copper-molybdenum-gold porphyry prospect (Divide Block) to identify drill targets.
The Elaine Prospect is within a continental arc, defined as being prospective for porphyry mineralisation by the United States Geological Survey (USGS).
The Divide Block is also considered prospective for gold, at the Kramer Prospect, which will be assessed in conjunction with the porphyry copper-molybdenum-gold exploration program.
The company is undertaking a geochemical sampling program with an aim to prioritise near term drill targets.
Chessell said: “Alaska also hosts some of the world giant copper-gold porphyry deposits, such as Pebble which is the world’s single largest copper deposit and world’s thirrd largest gold deposit.
“The exploration team is undertaking work to assess the copper porphyry potential of the Divide Prospect at the Elaine Prospect.”