Great Boulder Resources Ltd (ASX:GBR) has uncovered further shallow gold in the second phase of reverse circulation (RC) drilling at Ironbark discovery of the Side Well Gold Project in Western Australia, supporting GBR’s assumption that the prospect may be amenable to open pit mining.
Great Boulder has received results from four of nine drill holes from this drilling at Ironbark, with highlights including:
- 32 metres at 2.48 g/t gold from 24 metres, including 20 metres at 3.19 g/t from 24 metres; and
- 17 metres at 5.81 g/t from 120 metres, including 6 metres at 7.38 g/t from 120 metres and 6 metres at 8.76 g/t from 131 metres.
In addition, reconfigured assays from 4-metre composites sampled in the first phase of RC drilling at Ironbark have been refined by the company, with high-grade intersections including:
- 12 metres at 10.24 g/t gold from 120 metres, including 4 metres at 25.90 g/t from 120 metres; and
- 7 metres at 8.44 g/t from 107 metres.
“Ironbark could be a game-changer”
“Ironbark is looking increasingly exciting, with thick high-grade mineralisation extending close to surface and some really solid high-grade zones in the fresh rock,” Great Boulder Resources managing director Andrew Paterson said.
“The significance of these new results is that they support our early impression Ironbark may have potential for open pit mining, with ounces close to surface.
“Ironbark could be a game-changer for Side Well in the sense that near-surface ounces have potential to make a future mining scenario more attractive.
“We have already commissioned a round of metallurgical testing on Ironbark samples. The test work will look at gravity recoveries, grind size optimisation and total recovery using cyanide, similar to the test work we completed recently at Mulga Bill.”
“I am very keen to see the assay results from the remaining holes in this phase of drilling. We don’t yet know whether Ironbark has been closed off along strike, and it is definitely open at depth.”
GBR is already undertaking metallurgic test work on mineralisation from Ironbark and the company has secured approval for a program of works supporting a third phase of RC drilling at Side Well.