Kingston Resources Ltd (ASX:KSN) has delivered high-grade base metal results along with significant precious metals credits from the first hole of a diamond drilling program at the Southern Ore Zone (SOZ) underground deposit within the Mineral Hill Project in New South Wales.
The hole intersected extensive base metal sulphides within a broader zone of mineralisation with a result of 19 metres at 1.15% copper, 5.5% zinc, 5.5% lead, 0.4 g/t gold and 44 g/t silver from 150 metres, including 10 metres at 2.12% copper, 10.4% zinc, 10.3% lead, 0.5 g/t gold and 81 g/t silver from 150 metres.
Notably, the drilling forms part of an eight-hole program targeting the upper A lode within SOZ for input into an updated resource model in 2022.
Moving forward, Further SOZ assay results are expected in the coming weeks, alongside the remaining results from Pearse North drilling.
“Exciting results”
Kingston managing director Andrew Corbett said: “After the early success Kingston has already achieved with the Pearse North drilling, we are very pleased to now also be delivering exciting results from the initial holes in our SOZ drilling program.
“SOZ already hosts a 1.8 million tonnes resource at 1.79 g/t gold and 1.2% copper, plus zinc, lead and silver.
“Importantly, much of the necessary underground development and infrastructure is already in place.”
Vertical drill hole section of KSNDDH006 at Southern Ore zone (MH Mine Grid).
Drilling at SOZ
Exploration at Mineral Hill in the prolific Cobar Basin is progressing safely and efficiently with phase one diamond drilling at the SOZ complete with eight holes targeting the upper A-Lode mineralisation.
Samples for three drill holes have been submitted for analysis with results pending and the remaining four holes are being geologically logged and sampled.
Initial holes were drilled to confirm the location and tenor of high-grade sulphides relative to the surrounding drill holes and the geology model.
Corbett adds: “The SOZ underground is a key pillar of Kingston’s overall objective to establish an initial five-year mine plan at Mineral Hill.
“Our current expectations are that, at that the conclusion of production from the current tailings re-treatment operation, annual production will increase and initially come from the Pearse open pits and the SOZ underground.
“Kingston shareholders are expected to benefit from a low-cost mine restart utilising already existing mining licences and approvals, the current processing plant and infrastructure base, and the current underground SOZ decline and Pearse South pit development.“
Close up of massive sulphides in HQ3 core in KSNDDH0006 at 152.20 metres.
What is next?
Kingston is expecting to conclude its phase one drilling program at Mineral Hill this month. Samples have been progressively submitted for analysis with results expected in June.
Checks and validation of drill hole data for all historical drill holes at Mineral Hill are in progress and will be combined with new data as input into updated geological models.
This work will initially focus on the Pearse pits and the SOZ underground, with updated mineral resource estimates anticipated in the second half of 2022.
Planning and work programs have also commenced on the SOZ underground aiming to establish underground drill platforms for use in the second half of 2022.
Corbett adds: “Previous mining from the Mineral Hill underground occurred in two stages: from 1989 to 2004 and then from 2011 to 2015.
“The current phase of drilling has been collared from surface. During the second half of 2022, Kingston aims to drill the underground targets from underground, leveraging the existing decline which will provide access for underground drilling platforms.”