Critical Resources Ltd (ASX:CRR) has uncovered high-grade zinc along with copper, lead and silver at depth during step-out drilling at its 100%-owned Gibsons prospect, part of the Halls Peak Project in NSW.
Specifically, two diamond drill holes intersected zinc, lead, copper and silver-bearing zones of sulphide mineralisation at Gibsons, further demonstrating the broader Halls Peak system’s mineralised potential.
Critical says the latest results support an expanded drill program at its polymetallic project.
Moving ahead, core from five more step-out holes is being assayed at the ALS laboratory in Brisbane, with results expected progressively.
“Transformational asset” potential
Speaking to the findings, Critical Resources managing director Alex Biggs said more positive results had confirmed the growing potential of the Halls Peak system.
“As our drill program continues, we are excited to see significant grades and intersections that provide increased confidence that Halls Peak could be a transformational asset for the company.
“Our drill program is continuing and we look forward to starting drilling at our Sunnyside prospect which is around 1.5 kilometres along strike from our current drilling at the Gibsons prospect.
“This will add further growth potential to the project.”
The results are in
Two diamond step-out holes — drilled in an untested area — fielded a series of promising assays.
The first, known as hole 02A, intersected:
- 6.37 metres at 7.31% zinc, 0.89% lead, 0.22% copper, 10.33 g/t silver and 0.08 g/t gold from 72.65 metres, including 2.01 metres at 13.14% zinc, 1.82% lead, 0.44% copper, 17.20 g/t silver and 0.09 g/t gold from 73.38 metres; and
- 5.3 metres at 4.10% zinc, 1.78% lead, 0.49% copper, 25.17 g/t silver and 0.09 g/t gold from 166.3 metres, including 1.2 metres at 9.4% zinc, 4.76% lead, 1.29% copper, 74.39 g/t silver and 0.16 g/t gold from 170.4 metres.
Meanwhile, hole 07A returned:
- 34.3 metres at 2.14% zinc, 0.83% lead, 0.32% copper, 7.02 g/t silver and 0.05 g/t gold from 70.3 metres, including 3.35 metres at 6.06% zinc, 2.06% lead, 0.23% copper, 7.86 g/t silver and 0.02 g/t gold from 83.55 metres; and
- 4.5 metres at 9.22% zinc, 4.34% lead, 0.98% copper, 23.81 g/t silver and 0.08 g/t gold from 98 metres.
About Halls Peak
Critical’s Halls Peak project is around 45 kilometres southeast of Armidale in NSW’s New England Fold Belt, an area well known for its mineral endowment and production.
The Halls Peak massive sulphide deposits were discovered in 1896, when near-surface mining extracted high-grade zinc, lead, copper and silver.
Recent exploration at the Gibsons prospect has yielded the same kind of high-grade mineralisation.
Critical believes Halls Peak could host world-class deposits similar to those already being mined in northern Australia.
The project area includes several historical mines and prospects, including Gibsons, Sunnyside, Firefly, Faints, Khans Creek, Keys and Mickey Mouse.
All current exploration activities are focused on exploration licence EL 4474, where the primary targets include the Gibsons and Sunnyside prospects.
