ECR Minerals PLC (AIM:ECR), the exploration and development company focused on gold in Australia, has announced the final gold results from the 2022 drill program at the HR3 prospect at Bailieston in Victoria, with two mineralisation corridors identified in Hole BH3DD032.
In a statement, the company's CEO Andrew Haythorpe commented: “Some very encouraging grades have emerged from these results, and in particular the average of 9.01g/t over 4m at hole BH3DD043 could very likely result in follow-up work, which is supported by our Technical Director Adam Jones. We will now evaluate this full dataset, decide on the next steps and report back in due course.”
“Drilling at Blue Moon is progressing and I look forward to reporting the lab results back to you as soon as they arrive," he added.
ECR Minerals has 100% ownership of the Bailieston Project (EL5433), which contains the gold prospects known as HR3, Cherry Tree, Blue Moon and Black Cat. The projects are operated by ECR’s Australian wholly-owned subsidiary Mercator Gold Australia Pty Ltd (MGA).
Drilling highlights:
- Best results in BH3DD043 with a composited grade of 9.01 grams per ton (g/t) gold (Au) over a drilled width of 4 metres (m)
- Further results from the Maori Anticline include 1m @ 4.96 g/t Au (BH3DD042) at a depth of 273m
- Multiple intersections along strike of the Scoulers Reef including 0.2m @ 9.22 g/t Au (BH3DD042), 0.5m @ 4.55 g/t Au (BH3DD037) and 1m @ 3.34 g/t Au (BH3DD038
A plan of the HR3 Goldfield and the location of this reported drilling with the 10 ten intercepts can be found here: https://www.ecrminerals.com/images/2022/fig1_221015_Final_Drilling_Results_2022_HR3.png
ECR Minerals has been drilling targets throughout 2022 on its Bailieston tenements, with activity predominantly within the HR3 Goldfield, focussed on the main NNW (North-Northwest) striking gold-quartz mineralised systems including Byron Reef, Scoulers Reef and the Maori Reef. Initial drilling by ECR in 2021 focussed on the Byron Reef and indicated that gold mineralisation was not continuous.
In early 2022 the company's focus shifted to the Maori Reef which is the most easternly known vein system within the HR3 Goldfield. ECR geologists concluded that the Maori Reef is hosted within an anticlinal fold now called the ‘Maori Anticline’. Early drilling into this anticline has been successful (Holes BH3DD009, BH3DD010 and BH3DD011).
Drilling continued to follow the anticlinal fold to the north and in depth with successful intersections in holes BH3DD019, BH3DD012 and BH3DD034, which contained visible gold.
The latest drill results are for the final drilling completed to date at HR3 to follow up the best results adjacent to hole BH3DD034 and include additional test drilling into the parallel quartz reef systems. Drilling was completed at the end of July 2022. Final results have just been received after long delays in laboratory turn-around due predominantly to issues relating to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Whilst varied, the company said its directors are pleased with the outcome of the final results from HR3 which show that mineralisation is still open to the north of hole BH3DD043 and at depth.
It noted that technical director Adam Jones will evaluate the potential of follow-up drilling for these results over the coming Australian summer period.
In the meantime, drilling continues at the nearby Blue Moon prospect with two holes now completed and samples submitted to the laboratory for analysis. Drilling is planned to continue into the Christmas holiday period.
ECR Minerals said soil sampling and rock chip sampling have been completed on adjacent parallel quartz reefs on the Creswick tenements (EL6184) with results expected by the end of this month. The outcome of this work will delineate further drill targets for the 2023 drilling season.