Alice Queen Ltd (ASX:AQX) has kickstarted drilling at the first target generated during a Dipole Dipole Induced Polarisation (DDIP) survey at Horn Island Gold Project in Queensland’s Torres Strait.
Work started on Monday at Jehda 1 target, which forms part of a large IP anomaly beneath the Southern Silicified Ridge (SSR) that extends for more than 3.5 kilometres.
Years’ worth of work programs and a fortnight of site preparations have led to this pioneer hole aiming to intersect a hydrothermal system that contributes to Horn Island’s gold mineralisation.
Late last year, Alice Queen reported an updated indicated and inferred gold resource for the Torres Strait project, measuring 16.7 million tonnes at 0.98 g/t for 524,000 ounces.
“Potential to host multiple deposits”
Speaking to the milestone, Alice Queen managing director Andrew Buxton said the company remained focused on new discoveries at Horn Island.
“We are increasingly confident that Horn Island is host to a large, intrusion-related gold system and has the potential to host multiple gold deposits,” he explained.
“All the work and studies we have completed previously, along with the most recent IP survey, gives us great encouragement that this first hole of our new exploration strategy will greatly contribute towards realising the full potential at Horn Island.”
Road to drilling
Previously, Alice Queen executed a series of work programs that centred on Horn Island’s historical pit area, where the company has established its 524,000-ounce mineral resource.
In turn, these work programs have established an approximate 35-square-kilometre hydrothermal footprint at the gold camp which hints at a large intrusion-related gold system.
Past work programs include:
- Geological mapping;
- Rock chip sampling;
- Channel sampling;
- Airborne magnetics;
- A limited shallow drill program, consisting of nine holes for 1,500 metres at the SSR, which hit 11 metres at 2.89 g/t gold from 70 metres;
- Metal zonation studies; and
- The DDIP survey.
Alice Queen will keep the market updated on the progress of its first drill hole at the Jedha anomaly.