Kingwest Resources Ltd (ASX:KWR) has kicked off its maiden 4000-metre diamond drill program to test the Kanowna Belle-style Sir Laurence Gold Discovery within the Goongarrie Gold Project near Kalgoorlie in Western Australia.
The company’s drilling will initially focus on the most prospective sections of the mineralised area, which extends for more than 2 kilometres of strike in the north-south direction and over 1 kilometre of strike in the east-west direction.
Notably, Kingwest has discovered new potential gold discoveries from its aircore drilling east of the Sir Laurence discovery with strong results including:
- 16 metres at 0.7 g/t gold from 32 metres, including, 4 metres at 1.3 g/t from 44 metres;
- 4 metres at 1.2 g/t from 20 metres; and
- 4 metres at 1.0 g/t from 8 metres.
Looking ahead, the company awaits the remainder of the multi-element and nickel assays with plans to follow up drilling for new gold discoveries outside Sir Laurence.
“Excellent potential”
Kingwest CEO Ed Turner said: “We are very happy to commence diamond core drilling at the Sir Laurence Gold Discovery.
“Sir Laurence has excellent potential, with its litho-structural similarities to Kanowna Belle and the significant mineralisation already defined over such a large area.
“In addition, we are excited by the potential for further gold discoveries outside Sir Laurence, demonstrated by widespread gold in the highly successful first pass aircore drilling to the east.
“This was mainly focussed on the Nickel Sulphide potential of the Highway Ultramafic to the east of Sir Laurence, so to intersect significant gold mineralisation on six of the 14 lines is a great result.
“Most of these intersections were at shallow depth and away from paleo-channels so follow up drilling can easily be planned and completed
“We look forward now to the remainder of the multi-element assays including Nickel, which will be received over the coming month.”
Drilling results
Kingwest has now received all of the gold assay results for its initial Goongarrie nickel sulphide aircore drilling.
This drilling was planned as a first-pass reconnaissance on the Highway Ultramafic's nickel potential, where it passes beneath the Tertiary alluvial cover of Lake Goongarrie.
These results demonstrate that the alluvium-covered, Boorara Domain, greenschist facies to amphibolite facies greenstones beneath the east side of Lake Goongarrie are as widely gold mineralised as the Ora Banda Domain greenstones on the west side of the lake.
What is more surprising from the above results is that in addition to the Boorara Domain greenstones being gold mineralised, the adjacent and underlying, higher-grade paragneiss rocks that form the basement to the east of the Highway Ultramafic are also gold mineralised.
Forward plan
Kingwest expects to complete its inaugural diamond drill program over the next few months, including holes between 200 metres and 450 metres deep. The program can be extended if successful.
The company aims to review all nickel sulphide focused aircore drill assay data once received to plan to follow up exploration programs.
These may include additional drilling as well as moving loop electromagnetic surveys over selected sections of the Highway Ultramafic, which are interpreted as having the best chance of containing nickel sulphide deposits.
Kingwest also plans to follow up on new gold discoveries outside of Sir Laurence.