Sipa Resources Ltd (ASX:SRI) has made progress with ongoing activities across its Western Australian projects, although the onset of the wet season has played spoilsport in one instance.
The company recently completed an aircore drilling campaign at its Warralong Project, with samples progressing through the laboratory.
At Sipa’s Barbwire Terrace joint venture (JV) project with Buru Energy Ltd (ASX:BRU) gravity surveys have been completed enabling the original drilling targets to be confirmed with subsequent heritage surveys being undertaken.
The company’s planned drilling at the Wolfe Basin Project has been delayed by the onset of the wet season.
Warralong update
Samples from Sipa’s aircore programs at Warralong are progressing through the laboratory and results are expected in the coming weeks.
In addition, an extensive soil sampling program has just been completed with about 1,000 samples collected and dispatched for analysis.
Barbwire Terrace update
At Barbwire Terrace, the JV partners are planning to drill four holes to a nominal depth of 500 metres each, most likely to be undertaken late in the March quarter or early June quarter in 2022, after the wet season.
Exploration Incentive Scheme Funding awarded earlier this year will significantly reduce the direct costs of the drill program to the JV partners.
The Barbwire Terrace project has also been bolstered by the addition of three new tenements recently pegged by Buru subsidiary Battmin, which will shortly be formally incorporated into the JV.
Notably, the addition of these three new tenement applications increases the project area to more than 2,500 square kilometres.
Wolfe Basin update
Sipa’s planned diamond drilling at its Wolfe Basin project has been delayed by the onset of the wet season.
Drilling of several diamond holes to test prominent IP chargeability anomalies in favourable geological locations will now occur once ground conditions are more favourable.
The drill rig was en-route to site from the Northern Territory, when it was delayed by border closures relating to the recent COVID-19 outbreak in that state.
Significant rain subsequently downgraded the access conditions and the decision was made to postpone the commencement of drilling until the dry season in 2022.
While disappointing, this decision will prevent major cost blowouts associated with stranded equipment and personnel, and damage to station and public roads.
Promisingly, with all the necessary preparations already completed, drilling will occur as soon as practicable in 2022.