Hillgrove Resources Ltd (ASX:HGO) has extended the Spitfire copper-gold system strike to more than 100 metres within the underground Kanmantoo Copper-Gold Underground (UG) Mine in the Adelaide Hills of South Australia, affirming the down-dip continuity of mineralised zones at Spitfire.
Of 12 diamond-drilled holes completed at Spitfire, nine intersected commercial mineralisation, with highlights including:
- 18.82 metres at 0.95% copper, 0.18 g/t gold from 53.38 metres;
- 12.55 metres at 1.72% copper, 0.22 g/t gold from 56.45 metres;
- 13.13 metres at 2.1% copper, 0.18 g/t gold from 72.0 metres;
- 10.35 metres at 2.38% copper, 0.28 g/t gold from 66.65 metres; and
- 4.55 metres at 2.55% copper, 0.12 g/t gold from 83.8 metres.
Hillgrove says these results underscore the company’s strategy of using the exploration decline as a platform for underground drilling – which HGO is targeting at copper-gold zones near the main Kavanagh system that are accessible for mining from the future Kavanagh underground development.
Targeting greater resources and mine life
“The drilling results extend the strike of the Spitfire lode to over 100 metres and demonstrate that the system is open at depth,” Hillgrove Resources managing director and CEO Lachlan Wallace said.
“The close spaced drilling enables detailed stope design at Spitfire, which is important as it shores up the mining inventory of one of the areas proposed to be mined early in the underground mine plan.
“The results once again demonstrate the excellent continuity of the mineral systems at Kanmantoo.
“Since 2019, we have drilled 122 holes and returned 143 intersections of economic grade and width, which gives us a high level of confidence that further drilling will result in further positive drill intersections, which have the potential to translate into additional resource growth and ultimately, a larger mine life.”