Hi Ho, Hi Ho, it’s off to work we go
THE DRILL SERGEANT: Each week any number of junior exploration plays set out to drill their ground. Here’s a small selection of what’s been happening this week.
Drilling commenced on Narndee poly-metallic project
Maximus Resources (ASX: MXR) has commenced drilling on the Narndee poly-metallic project located approximately 400 kilometres north east of Perth in the Murchison region of Western Australia.
A total of 23 Reverse Circulation (RC) drill holes are planned, across two targets to follow-up previous drilling on the poly-metallic E59/908 tenement in the south and commence testing an anomalous gold target in the North of the Narndee project.
The RC exploration drilling program commenced with a 10 hole program on tenement E59/908 to test new targets identified during a recently completed Induce Polarization (IP) survey conducted on the tenement, in addition to testing previously identified targets to a depth of up to 210m.
An additional 13 holes are planned following the E59/908 drilling program to test historic gold targets located in the north of the Narndee project.
Drilling commences at Los Rulos
Southern Hemisphere Mining (ASX: SUH) has diamond drilling underway at the Armandino prospect, part of the company’s 50/50 Los Rulos Joint Venture with TSX-listed Lundin Mining Corporation, as part of a new phase of exploration within the Los Rulos project area in central Chile.
The aim of the initial drill program is to test geological modelling and strong chargeability anomalies identified during Induced Polarisation (IP) surveys coincident with channel sampling results.
The location of additional drill holes will be guided by results achieved by these first holes.
Drilling completed at Yalbra
Buxton Resources (ASX: BUX) has completed a RC and diamond drilling program at the company’s Yalbra graphite project.
Samples have been despatched for laboratory analysis and results will be released as soon they are available.
Buxton has also applied for a further exploration licence of 93 square kilometres covering the area to the east, along strike from the Main Zone.
The new application provides Buxton with access to 35 kilometres of prospective strike length that includes several prospects with graphite mineralisation identified at surface.
Drilling kicked off at Tennant Creek
Emmerson Resources (ASX: ERM) has commenced drilling at Tennant Creek following the transfer of the first $500,000 initial payment from Evolution Mining (ASX: EVN).
This initial campaign consists of approximately 2,500m of both diamond and RC drilling aimed at establishing further high-grade gold resources around the Eldorado and Chariot deposits.
Emmerson has identified both of these historic mines as high-priority targets to build on the current JORC Resources – Chariot with JORC resources of 170,000 tonnes at a grade of 17.4g/t gold, and Eldorado being an historic high-grade gold producer (122,000 ounces at 17.9g/t gold) but with untested potential.
“It is very pleasing to see rapid progress both at the technical and commercial level following the signing of the binding heads of agreement,” Emmerson Resources managing director Rob Bills said.
“The first meeting of the joint Exploration Management Committee demonstrated the technical co-operation and ‘fire power’ of the combined companies, with agreement on this initial program, followed by the transfer of the $500,000 initial payment to Emmerson.
“A joint targeting exercise is planned in Tennant Creek for July where it is anticipated the 2014 exploration program will be finalised – this will likely include a mix of both brownfields/near mine targets to rapidly build the resource base and also some new regional or greenfields targets – aimed at discovering a new generation of high grade gold-copper deposits utilising the successful ideas and technology that lead to the Goanna and Monitor discoveries by Emmerson in 2012.”