Kingfisher Mining Ltd (ASX:KFM) is focused on exploration at its wholly-owned projects in the Gascoyne and Ashburton Mineral Fields of Western Australia.
In the Gascoyne region, the Mick Well, Kingfisher and Arthur River Projects are prospective for REE (rare earth elements) mineralisation which is associated with a series of carbonatite intrusions which were discovered by the company.
In the Ashburton region, Kingfisher is advancing copper and gold exploration at its Boolaloo Project, which is about 35 kilometres from the Paulsen’s gold mine.
Kingfisher has significant landholdings across the interpreted extensions of its target mineralised structures.
This includes more than 50 kilometres of strike across the target geology that covers the Kingfisher and Mick Well Projects in the Gascoyne region as well as more than 30 kilometres of strike across the target structures at the Boolaloo Project.
Gascoyne Mineral Field: Kingfisher and Mick Well projects
The Kingfisher and Mick Well Projects are about 230 kilometres east of Carnarvon, in the Gascoyne region of Western Australia.
The projects include rocks of the Proterozoic Durlacher Suite and the Halfway Gneiss, an exotic block of Archean geology where the company holds a strike length of over 50 kilometres of the target geological horizon.
Location of the Kingfisher and Mick Well Projects in the Gascoyne Mineral Field showing the extents of the Durlacher Suite and Halfway Gneiss. The location of the Yangibana Deposit and Yin Project 100km north of Kingfisher’s projects are also shown.
The recently discovered REE at Mick Well is associated with carbonatite intrusions.
Historical exploration in the area has focused on outcrops of quartz reef and gossanous ironstones which are up to 10 metres in width.
Past exploration returned rock chip sampling showing results up to 10.6% copper over a strike length of 1 kilometre within a laterally extensive geological horizon.
High-grade rare earth intercept at Mick Well
In January 2022, Kingfisher confirmed the prospectivity of the Mick Well area with a high-grade rare earth intercept of 12 metres at 1.12% total rare earth oxides (TREO).
The main Mick Well interval recorded 12 metres at 0.21% neodymium oxide (Nd2O3) and praseodymium oxide (Pr6O11), including 4 metres at 0.31% Nd2O3 and Pr6O11.
Further anomalous results of 4 metres at 0.27% TREO and 4 metres at 0.18% TREO were returned from the same target, with a second drill core from Mick Well returning 4 metres at 0.17% TREO.
Carbonatite dyke outcrop and a sample of ultramafic intrusive from Mick Well.
Kingfisher Mining executive director and CEO James Farrell said following the high-grade hits: “The discovery of rare earths mineralisation at our Gascoyne projects is an outstanding result for the company and its shareholders.
“The discovery of the mineralisation and numerous outcropping carbonatites has highlighted the significant exploration potential of the area. Kingfisher has recently expanded its landholding in the region with targeted pegging of tenements considered prospective for rare earth elements.
“The company is developing a full exploration strategy for this extensive exploration tenure as it continues to increase its efforts in the search for highly sought-after rare earth elements.
“During the first year since listing, the company has completed two large airborne electromagnetic surveys at its Ashburton and Gascoyne Mineral Fields’ projects and drilled 10 targets, including seven new targets at Mick Well, Kingfisher and Boolaloo.
“The return of anomalous results from two of the four targets tested at Mick Well and Kingfisher is highly encouraging”
Kingfisher’s Matt Roach mapping carbonatite intrusions at the Kingfisher Prospect.
Boolaloo Project
The Boolaloo copper-gold and base metal project is about 35 kilometres southwest of the Paulsen's gold mine in the Ashburton region of Western Australia.
Kingfisher has granted exploration licences over the potential strike extents of the interpreted mineralised structures, giving a significant strategic holding in an emerging province.
The company recently received results from the reverse circulation (RC) drilling of the Green Hills, Erny Bore and EM1 targets at Boolaloo Project.
The results include:
Green Hills
- BLRC002: 12 metres at 0.72% copper and 0.14 g/t gold from surface, including 4 metres at 1.16% copper and 0.27 g/t gold from 4 metres.
- BLRC001: 8 metres at 0.25% copper from 20 metres.
Erny Bore
- BLRC009: 11 metres at 0.38% copper from 79 metres.
- BLRC009: 2 metres at 0.95% copper and 0.40g/t gold from 59 metres, including 1 metre at 1.73% copper and 0.78g/t gold from 59 metres.
Outcropping mineralisation at the newly discovered Green Hills Prospect and rock chip sample BLGS0240 which returned results of 24.30% copper and 0.59 g/t gold.
Drilling at Boolaloo has returned copper and gold results from five prospects, K15, K16, Copper-Strike, Erny Bore and the Green Hills Prospect, which was discovered by the company last year.
The latest results highlight the potential for the discovery of new mineralisation at surface associated with the mapped structures and laterally extensive alteration corridors which, individually, extend for up to 12 kilometres and occur as multiple parallel zones in a mineralised corridor that extends for over 30 kilometres within the company’s tenure.
Next steps
Kingfisher’s ongoing exploration at Boolaloo will continue to define the new mineralisation zones, and in particular, the company will be looking for opportunities laterally along strike and opportunities at depth.
The company will also focus on additional areas which include a strong conductor from the recent VTEM survey on the recently granted exploration licence E08/3247 at Boolaloo.
Following the recent discovery of rare earth mineralisation at the company’s Mick Well Project, the company has also commenced a review of the exploration activities planned for 2022.
The discovery intercept from Mick Well together with the identification of significant areas of carbonatite intrusions, which are associated with rare earth elements, has highlighted the significant potential of the project.
Together with the ongoing work at Boolaloo, the company will also be focussing significant effort on rare earths exploration in the Gascoyne region during 2022.