East Star Resources PLC (LSE:EST) provided a positive update on the ongoing drilling programme at the Apmintas licence on the Chu-Ili gold belt in Kazakhstan.
Four holes totalling 970 metres (m) were drilled on the Novoe target before the diamond drill rig was moved to the Southern Shabdar target where the first hole has already been completed and a second is underway.
"The drillers and our geological team are making great progress with some shifts at 85m/day while maintaining excellent core recovery,” said chief executive Alex Walker.
“Visual inspection of the core indicates exactly what we had hoped and expected to see, with consistent sulphides over large intersections as well as quartz veins which have the potential to carry much higher grades as they have done in historical surface samples and in our RC [reverse circulation] drilling.”
Core from the first three holes is being prepared before being sent for assay testing. Due to the presence of chalcopyrite and sphalerite some sampling will also include assay for other elements such as copper, lead and zinc.
“The presence of chalcopyrite was a pleasant surprise and will help to build our geological understanding of the deposit and the region,” said Walker.