Westar Resources Ltd (ASX:WSR) has rounded out phase one of its maiden reverse circulation drill program at the Gidgee North Project in WA’s Meekatharra-Sandstone region.
Promisingly, preliminary pXRF readings on the property have indicated it could be prospective for a fertile volcanogenic massive sulphide (VMS) system.
Westar has shipped off all the program samples to a commercial lab in Perth and in the meantime, it has completed a downhole electromagnetic survey over the drill holes.
So far, RC logging has honed in on some similarities to the nearby Altair copper-zinc prospect, which has intersected 55 metres ay 3.32% zinc, 0.52% copper and 9.4 g/t silver from 184 metres.
“Exactly what we wanted to see”
Speaking to the program, Westar Resources managing director Karl Jupp said: “Phase one drilling has delivered exactly what we wanted to see in this early exploration phase, with semi-massive sulphides, indicative base-metal pXRF readings and litho-stratigraphy typical of the Altair copper-zinc mineralised system.
“We’ve observed these positive indicators at all prospects drilled, proving the potential for a significant camp-scale volcanogenic massive sulphide cluster.
“Preliminary data from the downhole electromagnetic surveys indicate encouraging off-hole conductors that will be thoroughly analysed to refine priority drill targets ahead of the phase two program.”
Drill program plans
Westar’s Gidgee North drill program involves two phases of exploration, covering around 5,000 metres of ground across 10 high-priority copper-zinc-lead silver VMS targets.
Here, the company plans to complete airborne and ground geophysics, soil sampling and litho-structural interpretations.
Phase one of the program is now complete, involving 18 holes at nine targets for 3,675 metres of drilling.
Essentially, phase one was designed as a proof-of-concept program to test the potential for VMS mineralisation over multiple coincident geochemical and geophysical anomalies.
Although results to date are preliminary, they do point to what could be a fertile VMS system at Gidgee North.
Next steps
Prioritised samples from the phase one drill program have been submitted for laboratory assay, with results expected within a fortnight.
The remaining drill samples will be released as they become available.
In the meantime, Westar geologists — in consultation with Newexco and GN Geoscience — will analyse the geophysical, geochemical and logging datasets (including laboratory assays, once received) to characterise and model the VMS system, refining potential locations for copper-zinc mineralisation.
Once established, phase two of drilling will be designed, considering a combination of both reverse circulation and diamond drilling.