Azure Minerals Ltd (ASX:AZS) has intersected widespread gold mineralisation during its maiden exploration drilling at Daisy Corner prospect within the Barton Project in Western Australia's Kookynie Gold District.
The drill program comprised 21 reverse circulation (RC) holes across 3,473 metres targeting potential northern mineralised extensions of the Puzzle North gold deposit.
Consequently, the gold mineralisation has been found to extend for 800 metres along strike to the northwest of Genesis Minerals (ASX:GMD)’ Puzzle and Puzzle North deposits.
Highlights include:
- 4 metres at 0.68 g/t gold from 31 metres downhole;
- 10 metres at 0.44 g/t from 55 metres downhole;
- 10 metres at 0.52 g/t from 39 metres downhole including 1-metre at 3.98 g/t from 46 metres downhole, and 8.0 metres at 0.59 g/t from 127 metres downhole; and
- 5.0 metres at 0.92 g/t from 1-metre downhole including 1-metre at 3.44 g/t from 42 metres downhole.
Moving forward, Azure is undertaking follow-up work including geological mapping and soil sampling before the next phase of drilling expected to begin during the Septermber quarter.
“First drilling program”
Azure managing director Tony Rovira said: “Given the early exploration stage of the Barton Project we’re encouraged to have intersected widespread gold mineralisation in our first drilling program.
“Surface exploration is continuing, with geophysical surveys and more drilling to be undertaken over the course of this year."
Barton Project area.
Drilling results
Azure’s drilling tested 800 metres of the prospective granite-greenstone contact to the northwest of the Azure-Genesis tenement boundary on section lines spaced 100 metres to 200 metres apart.
Notably, both granite and greenstone rocks were intersected with shearing, quartz-veining, iron oxides and disseminated pyrite present in most holes.
Assays indicate that the mineralised system identified at Puzzle North continues into Azure’s tenement with gold mineralisation intersected in most holes.
With significant shearing and quartz-veining observed in both the granites and the greenstones, the presence of gold mineralisation is likely to be structurally controlled and not limited to just the granite-greenstone contact.
This structural complexity is likely to enhance the size potential of the mineralising system and allows Azure to broaden the exploration search area.
What's next at Barton?
Azure will undertake further surface exploration before the next phase of drilling expected to begin during the September quarter of 2022.
Further, geological mapping, soil sampling and structural interpretation of the airborne magnetic data are currently in progress to refine the model of the mineralised system.