Predictive Discovery Ltd (ASX:PDI)’s new extensional drilling at its Bankan Gold Project in Guinea continues to confirm grade continuity and broad widths of the high-grade gold zone at NE Bankan.
The best result was 52.8 metres at 3.6 g/t gold from 510 metres, including 20.2 metres at 7.3 g/t from 511 metres with higher grades of 4.9 metres at 21.2 g/t from 515 metres.
Two diamond holes have extended the high-grade gold zone 110 metres down-dip of the base of the optimised mineral resource pit shell.
Extensions to depth
Managing director Paul Roberts said: “These new results have provided further confirmation of continuing extensions to depth of the high-grade gold mineralised zone below the optimised resource pit shell as well as better definition of the steep southwards plunge of the overall mineralised zone.
“With the gradual drying out of the ground after a longer than expected rainy season, we have restarted auger drilling.
“Currently, we have two multi-purpose rigs drilling deeper holes beneath NE Bankan, one aircore (AC) rig testing regional targets identified by earlier auger/AC drilling and, now, two auger rigs, testing regional structural targets identified by the aeromagnetic survey earlier in the year.”
Drill results
Apart from the 52.8-metre intersection, hole BNERD0099 also returned 3.4 metres at 5.5 g/t from 639 metres, including 1.4 metres at 11.6 g/t from 641 metres.
Hole BNERD00100 returned:
➢ 28.6 metres at 1.7 g/t from 516 metres including 15.7 metres at 2.6 g/t from 517 metres;
➢ 12 metres at 2.2 g/t from 552 metres, including 1.5 metres at 7.8 g/t from 559 metres; and
➢ 2.4 metres at 6.1 g/t from 649 metres including 0.7 metres at 18.4 g/t from 649 metres.
BNERD0099 was drilled 110 metres down-dip of the previous excellent intersection in BNERD0098, which coincided with the bottom of the US$1,800/ounce optimised resource pit shell.
Hole BNERD00100 was drilled more than 240 metres down dip of the nearest hole on this section (BNERD0089) and returned multiple good-grade intersections.
The upper intercept is located near the point where the hangingwall shear zone emerges from within the mafic volcanics to the favourable structural position between the mafic hangingwall and the mineralised felsic intrusive footwall.
NE Bankan NS Longitudinal Projection showing new drill results in red.
Consistent with the geological model, the cumulative thickness and grade of gold mineralisation is much greater in BNERD0100 than in BNERD0089, where the shear zone is enclosed by the mafic volcanics, providing clear confirmation of the inferred steep southerly plunge of the gold mineralised system at depth.
Also, the intersection of high-grade gold mineralisation about 100 metres east of the main shear zone in both DD holes highlights the potential for additional high-grade zones in the felsic intrusives deeper in the footwall position.
Next steps
Diamond drilling is continuing with two multi-purpose drill rigs in operation.
Both rigs are drilling holes to depths of 400-550 metres below surface to explore for deeper extensions of the high-grade gold zone.
After a longer than expected rainy season, the company has restarted the power auger program, which is designed to test structural target areas interpreted from the aeromagnetic survey both in the south-eastern part of the permit area and in the area directly east of NE Bankan.