Sipa Resources Ltd (ASX:SRI) is ready to return to the soil at its wholly-owned Skeleton Rocks project in the West Aussie Goldfields after completing a 138-hole aircore campaign.
The polymetallic explorer used the aircore drill rig to follow up on a series of first-pass auger soil samples, testing greenstone units prospective for gold, nickel-copper and lithium mineralisation.
Now, Sipa plans to keep the drill bit spinning – a second auger program will kick off in roughly one week ahead of further drilling in April.
It won’t be long before the explorer gets a closer look at what’s in the ground, with priority samples now expected within weeks.
“An exciting development”
Speaking to the campaign at Skeleton Rocks, Sipa managing director Pip Darvall said: “Our first program at Skeleton Rocks was successfully completed and the identification of quartz-sulphide veins in several holes is an exciting development.
“These results increase our confidence in the project and have led us to immediately plan further auger surveys given their ability to efficiently discriminate priority target areas.
“First assay results from the drilling are expected in the coming weeks and if positive will immediately result in additional follow up field programs.”
Findings so far
Sipa has drilled 3,425 metres with an aircore rig to date, turning up a series of polymetallic results that warrant follow-up.
The explorer observed quartz-sulphide veins and disseminated sulphides in some holes, coincident with copper and nickel anomalism seen in pXRF analysis on auger soils samples.
Sipa says the copper anomalism is most likely due to the presence of chalcopyrite – a copper sulphide, occasionally seen in drill chips and in surface float samples nearby.
The close correlation of metal anomalism in auger soil samples to veining in a similar style to gold deposits found in the Southern Cross greenstone belt immediately to the east has led Sipa to plan additional auger programs in other prospective areas.
Any further anomalism identified in this second auger program will assist in targeting future drill programs.
Based on the positive results received to date Sipa has also scheduled additional drilling at Skeleton Rocks in April.
However, when this program goes ahead will be determined by results from the aircore assays and the upcoming auger program.
Samples from the recently completed aircore program are already at the laboratory and those from specific areas of interest, including the holes with visible sulphides, have been prioritised.
Sipa could get its hands on these results within a fortnight.