Yandal Resources Ltd (ASX:YRL) has defined an initial JORC-compliant mineral resource of 718,000 tonnes at 1.9 g/t gold for 44,000 ounces for its Challenger deposit at the 100%-owned Mt McClure gold project in the Yandal Greenstone Belt in Western Australia.
The mineral resource estimate (MRE) includes mineralisation beneath three historic shallow open pits and one unmined satellite deposit extending to a maximum vertical depth of 140 metres. Drilling has been constrained by a lack of drilling at depth.
August 2022 Challenger Mineral Resource Estimate.
Deposit remains open
Challenger comprises four separate zones of mineralisation known as Challenger North, Challenger Central, Challenger South and Challenger Far South, and is situated within the southern trend of the historical Mt McClure mining camp, which has an overall gold endowment of more than 1.8 million ounces from a number of open pits covering a strike length of some 45 kilometres.
Previous work has confirmed that the mineralisation at Challenger extends for at least a further 170 metres down dip beyond the currently defined wireframes, which provides scope for additional resource updates upon completion of infill drilling.
The Mt McClure Project, covering 36 square kilometres about 20 kilometres southwest of the historical Bronzewing mine, also includes Success and Parmelia, which all have substantial mineralisation beneath the base of mining.
Challenger is the first of three MREs currently being defined, with the Success and Parmelia MREs currently in progress.
Mt McClure plan showing recent drilling, interpreted bedrock lithology, major structures and proximity to 3rd party prospects, haulage and processing infrastructure.
Highly encouraging
Yandal Resources managing director Tim Kennedy said: “The definition of an initial mineral resource estimate of 44,000 ounces at Challenger is a highly encouraging outcome for the Mt McClure Project and the company and provides us with a great foundation for future growth.
“Challenger is the first of three initial mineral resource estimates that will be produced at Mt McClure based on historical drill data and drilling completed by Yandal. The fact that we have been able to produce this estimate using the vast database of historical drilling from previous miners has resulted in a very cost-effective addition to our existing resource base.
“Of particular interest is that the initial MRE remains open at depth, with Yandal’s deeper broad spaced step-out drilling completed over the past couple of years confirming that mineralisation continues at least a further 170 metres down-dip at Challenger.
“We are looking forward to the outcome of the Success and Parmelia initial MRE studies and to planning follow-up drilling with a view to potentially expanding the resource base even further.
Next steps
Key exploration activities planned for the September quarter include:
- aircore and RC programs to test priority targets at Ironstone Well and Barwidgee, including Cash, Sims Find, New England Granite, Newport, Quarter Moon, Oblique and Barwidgee Shear;
- RC drilling programs at Mt McClure testing target areas adjacent to historic open cut mines and commence aircore drill testing of structural targets identified from aeromagnetic data;
- reviewing historic and recent drilling data at the Mt McClure Project to establish controls on potential higher grade plunging shoots and the potential for increasing the initial Mineral Resource Estimates at Challenger, Success and Parmelia; and
- finalising follow-up drilling at the Gordons Project, including tests of the newly-identified high-grade mineralisation at the Meuleman Prospect and Zoehrer Prospects.