Bardoc Gold Ltd (ASX:BDC) has received further high-grade drilling results highlighting the scope for gold inventory growth at Zoroastrian deposit within the Bardoc Gold Project near Kalgoorlie, Western Australia.
The latest exploration drilling has revealed that the mineralisation extends for more than 150 metres below the existing resource at Blueys South and Zoroastrian South lodes with results including:
- 6 metres at 2.44 g/t gold from 460 metres;
- 1-metre at 11.7 g/t from 466 metres; and
- 4.5 metres at 3.53 g/t from 102 metres.
Promisingly, Bardoc’s resource definition drilling has also returned results of 5.2 metres at 4.97 g/t from 379 metres including 1.69 metres at 14.1 g/t from 381.62 metres.
These exceed the grades in the resource model, highlighting the potential for an increase in the Zoroastrian ore reserve.
“Potential to grow inventory”
Bardoc CEO Robert Ryan said: “These results support our view that there is immense potential to grow the inventory and mine life at Zoroastrian through extensions to the known mineralisation at depth and in new areas.
“The diamond drilling program we commenced in August has already confirmed the presence of mineralisation 150 metres below the current resource envelope, providing strong evidence for what we have long suspected – that the multi-lode system at Zoroastrian extends at depth.
“In addition to the immediate opportunity to grow the resource and reserve, this also highlights the future opportunity to continue to grow the deposit from underground drilling positions.”
0.23 metres at 42 g/t gold within a broader intersection of 1.69 metres at 14.1 g/t.
Exploration drilling
Zoroastrian hosts underground ore reserves of 98,000 ounces at 3.6 g/t for a three-year mine life within 530,000 ounces at 2.2 g/t in the indicated and inferred mineral resource category.
The drilling results at Zoroastrian are in line with the overall resource grade of 2.2 g/t gold and have allowed the company’s geologists to refine the target area of the highly mineralised fractionated dolerite unit.
Experience from the upper levels of the ore body suggests that the holes are close to the high-grade ore zone and they have confirmed that the Blueys South and Zoroastrian South lodes both continue at depth with the lodes projected to intersect the fractionated dolerite nearby, providing an area for long-term exploration.
Long-section of Zoroastrian South Lode looking west. Note that this is only one of the multiple lodes being accessed from the same underground decline access.
Resource drilling
Diamond core drilling at the southern end of the existing Zoroastrian Central open pit is designed to test for high-grade mineralisation within the Zoroastrian South Lode, as well as targeting resource strike extensions in Royal Mint and Blueys.
The resource definition drilling targeted mineralisation that is in the inferred category and this will potentially increase the confidence level of the resource model to indicated status.
An updated mineral resource model will be completed after the conclusion of the current drilling program scheduled for late 2021 and this upgraded area may lead to increased ore reserves and mine life.
The drilling was targeting areas close to proposed mine development that will potentially increase the resource and add additional ounces to the mine plan.
“Optimised mine plan”
Ryan adds: “The results are considered particularly important because increases in the inventory and mine life at one of our three cornerstone deposits will further improve the project’s forecast financial returns and support the optimised mine plan we announced recently.
“Drilling is continuing at Zoroastrian and we look forward to incorporating the results into an updated resource model.
“This work will continue in parallel with ongoing work towards achieving a Final Investment Decision by the end of this year.”
Forward plan
- Core drilling at Zoroastrian is ongoing for several months;
- Work with GR Engineering on refining final process plant designs;
- Water bore field final designs in September; and
- Tenders for open pit and underground mining to be sent out in September.