St George Mining Ltd (ASX:SGQ) has completed its maiden diamond drilling program at the Paterson Project in the East Pilbara region of Western Australia, discovering the potential for a large mineral system at the project.
The exploration fieldwork focus now shifts to Mt Alexander for drilling of nickel-copper-platinum group element (Ni-Cu-PGE) targets as well as further rock-chip sampling and assessment of pegmatite outcrop.
At Ajana, stakeholder engagement is underway as part of planning for a maiden drill program later this year.
Looking ahead, SGM aims to conduct follow-up drilling at Paterson once assays and petrography are assessed.
“Important milestone”
St George chairman John Prineas said: “Eight drill holes have been completed in the current program.
“These very broad spaced holes tested several large conceptual targets zones across the 35-kilometre strike of the Paterson Project area.
“Significantly, all completed drill holes have confirmed the presence of a favourable geological setting to potentially host copper and gold systems.
“This is an important milestone for exploration and a big step forward in confirming the prospectivity of the Paterson Project.
“We will plan further drilling at the Paterson once assays are reviewed and areas of interest are prioritised.
Potential for a large mineral system
Initial geological observations of the drill core indicate a structural and alteration environment with potassic-rich granites intruding host sediments through brittle deformed faults and vein structures.
These features are evidence of hydrothermal and mineralising processes and support the potential for mineralisation occurring within the Paterson Project.
In particular, the thick carbonate-rich sediments noted in PDD007 may provide a favourable depositional setting for gold-copper mineralisation and are highly encouraging.
Forward plan
SGM is expecting laboratory assays from Bureau Veritas in Perth within six to eight weeks and is required to confirm the metal content in the drill core.
Prineas adds: “While we await assays for the Paterson, we are ramping up fieldwork at our Mt Alexander and Ajana Projects in Western Australia.
“Both the seismic and EM surveys at Mt Alexander have now been completed with interpretation and modelling of data underway.
“Early indications are that anomalies prospective for Ni-Cu-PGEs are emerging. Drilling will be scheduled once targets are finalised.
“We will also continue our field-mapping and rock chip sampling of the extensive pegmatite outcrops at Mt Alexander.
“These pegmatites may be part of the same system that hosts the nearby major lithium discovery announced by Red Dirt Metals – see ASX releases by RDT dated September 21, 2021, Mt Ida – A New Lithium Province and February 8, 2022, Maiden RC Lithium Results from Mt Ida.
“At the Ajana Project, we are engaging with the local farmers regarding land access arrangements as we also progress target generation in advance of a maiden drill program planned later this year.
“Drilling will focus on testing a large interpreted mafic intrusion within the Northampton Block, located near the western margin of the Yilgarn Craton and proximal to historic base metal mines.
“We are excited by the potential for Ni-CuPGE mineralisation at this greenfields project.
“We look forward to reporting on these exciting developments in the coming weeks.”