Cyclone Metals Ltd (ASX:CLE) has discovered several gold anomalies at the Mareburn and Macraes South projects in New Zealand following a trial of the Iconic Leach™ soil sampling exploration technique, the second trial of this nature to be completed in New Zealand.
The trial revealed strong geochemical responses over projected gold lode zones at both projects, demonstrating good correlation with the previously limited historical soil and rock chip sampling completed over the tenure.
These results indicate the Iconic Leach technique is suitable for New Zealand conditions, having delineated anomalous responses up to 350 metres wide at Macraes South in one of the sampling lines.
Overall, the projects have demonstrated strong anomalous results over a major fault which crosscuts the Macraes mineralised system, validating Cyclones’ geological model.
Cost-effective, efficient exploration technique
“It is very encouraging to get positive responses to the maiden exploration program that trialled Ionic Leach geochemistry, as this gives the company a cost-effective and relatively quick way to define gold anomalies over the extensive landholding, for a maiden drilling program on the ground so soon after border restrictions have eased,” Cyclone Metals chair Terry Donnelly said.
“With both projects contiguous to Oceania Gold Limited’s Macraes Gold Mine, that has a 6-million-tonne per annum plant and 6-year mine life, any exploration success at Mareburn or Macraes South has the potential to add to that mine life.”
Cyclone Metals has already designed an expanded program to leverage the Iconic Leach technique to discover more gold anomalies across its New Zealand projects.