Alto Metals Ltd (ASX:AME) has started its 2022 major drill program at Sandstone Gold Project, which covers +900 square kilometres of the Sandstone Greenstone Belt in Western Australia, with an initial 18,000 metres of reverse circulation (RC) drilling.
The first 33 holes for around 6,300 metres of RC drilling are planned at Lord Nelson and the new Juno Lode, targeting extensions of known mineralisation.
Further resource and extensional drilling have been planned at both Indomitable and Vanguard camps, following up on the high-grade gold intersections reported.
Drilling is planned to be ongoing for 2022, with at least one RC rig secured for the majority of the year.
Updated global resource
Alto managing director Matthew Bowles said: "We are excited to be back drilling at Sandstone to follow up on the outstanding results from last year’s exploration program; including the thick high-grade gold intercepts at Lord Nelson, the new discovery at Juno and the extensive gold mineralisation defined at both Vanguard and Indomitable camps.
“Last year was a step-change in our approach to exploration that included over 60,000 metres of drilling and will see us deliver an updated global resource for the Sandstone Gold Project in the coming weeks."
Excited about year ahead
He said: “This year we are looking to build on the exploration success of last year to drive further resource growth and new discoveries.
“An initial 18,000 metres of our planned major drill program for 2022 is already underway, we have one RC rig secured for the entire year and will look to add to this to accelerate our planned drilling activities.
“Sandstone is a unique asset, covering over 900 square kilometres of an entire greenstone belt that has had limited drilling below 100 metres depth, and we are still only just scratching the surface of a small portion of this historic goldfield.
“Our systematic approach to exploration is continuing to deliver and we are excited about what the year ahead holds for Alto shareholders.
2022 drilling program
RC drilling has commenced at the northern part of the Lords Corridor, with 33 holes for around 6,300 metres designed to target continuity and extensions of known primary mineralisation at Lord Nelson.
Results from the 2021 drilling program being followed up include SRC423, which returned 48 metres at 3.4 g/t gold from 214 metres, including 19 metres at 6.0 g/t from 223 metres below the Lord Nelson pit and strike and dip extensions of the recently discovered Juno Lode, 400 metres south of Lord Nelson, which appears to be an extension of the main mineralisation.
RC drilling at the Lords is also planned for the Central Zone, further to the south of Juno, where previous Alto reconnaissance drilling SRC321 returned 12 metres at 1.7 g/t gold from 110 metres, including 1-metre at 7.8 g/t from 104 metres within the Lords granodiorite.
Further drilling at the Lords Corridor will be planned once the results of the recently completed gravity survey are received and interpreted, along with the assay results of the current program.
Alto has been working with its preferred assay laboratories to reduce the extended delays in assay turnaround that it faced last year, and expects to receive the first assays in April and regularly thereafter.
Once the first phase of Lords drilling is completed the rig will be moved to Indomitable and then Vanguard for around 12,000 metres of planned resource and extensional drilling, to follow up on the exceptional results announced from both prospects.
An Induced polarisation (IP) survey on 3 kilometres of the Vanguard trend has been completed and the data is being interpreted, it is anticipated these results will assist in targeting extension of mineralisation at depth.
The current planned program is expected to be completed in four months, with assay results announced as and when received.
Once Alto has completed and released the current mineral resource update, it may consider accelerating planned drilling with the mobilisation of additional rigs, subject to availability.
The company will also provide further updates to the market as the 2022 exploration program progresses.