Marmota Ltd (ASX:MEU) has commenced a production-focused diamond drilling program designed to provide the necessary detail to advance its Aurora Tank gold discovery in South Australia to production.
The company expects drilling to be completed within two weeks, prior to a scheduled Woomera closure.
If any holes are not completed, they will be drilled as reverse circulation (RC) holes in a larger program to follow.
Marmota’s Aurora Tank tenement and tenements around the Challenger Gold Mine
Marmota chairman Dr Colin Rose said: “Marmota has acted with amazing speed and has been most fortunate to lock in a suitable diamond rig at such short notice to complete the program, especially during State Border closures.
“We are extremely grateful to the drill team for mobilising so quickly to site from Mildura, and to the South Australian Government and SA Health for expediting the necessary border clearances, and which also reflect the advantages of working on a remote site in today’s world.”
Aurora Tank: Best downhole gold results
The production-focused diamond drilling program is primarily designed to provide the necessary detail to advance Aurora Tank to production, including:
- Geotechnical: design of optimal pit walls at Aurora Tank
- Bulk density measurements: Required for completing
- (a) resource estimation and
- (b) scoping/feasibility studies
- Bulk samples to enable final phase metallurgical testing across
- (a) different weathering zones (from strongly weathered oxide zones to deeper fresh rock) and
- (b) different areas of the deposit, including the first diamond drilling in the high-grade NW flank