Orion Gold uses NASA technology to identify new targets
THE DRILL SERGEANT: Orion Gold (ASX: ORN) has travelled to outer space in order to identify new exploration targets at the company’s Connors Arc epithermal project in Central Queensland.
The company has had ASTER (Advanced Spaceborne Thermal Emission and Reflection Radiometer) data interpreted by consultants Global Ore Discovery.
ASTER is an imaging instrument on-board NASA’s Terra satellite.
“ASTER images are used in mineral exploration to interpret alteration mineralogy, illite-sericite-kaolinite crystallinity, and illite composition/chlorite composition,” Orion Gold explained in its ASX announcement.
“An understanding of zonation of these facets of hydrothermal alteration minerals can assist in developing vectors to epithermal and porphyry gold mineralisation.”
Through the interpretation of the ASTER data, Orion Gold has identified five areas of interest based on coincident ASTER alteration, geological and geophysical features.
ASTER interpretation overview – Connors Arc project. (Note:
pick/shovel symbols represent known gold or copper prospects). Source:
Company announcement
Target 1 is situated near the intersection of interpreted major north-west and north-east trending structures, in an area immediately north-west of the known Aurora Flats and Powerline epithermal gold prospects.
Previous drilling conducted by Orion has outlined a geochemical signature at these prospects consistent with a shallow level in an epithermal gold system.
Orion considers this to indicate potential for high-grade gold mineralisation at deeper levels.
The company described its second target – Target 2 – to be made up of a “broad zone of interpreted illite-aolinite alteration, with local indications of higher temperature clays”.
The geology of this target and its proximity to the Mt. Mackenzie high-sulphidation epithermal gold system, have motivated Orion to carry out immediate on-ground follow-up, once an exploration permit is granted.
The remaining three target areas – Targets 3, 4 and 5 – have been defined in the north of the company’s tenement application package, much further away from the other epithermal gold prospects in the district (Mt Mackenzie, Aurora Flats).
Orion said the ASTER alteration features in these areas include interpreted occurrences of high temperature clays which are known to be associated with high-sulphidation epithermal gold systems, such as examples of which within the district include Mt Mackenzie and Evolution Mining’s (ASX: EVN) Mt Carlton gold-copper-silver deposit.
“The results of the ASTER interpretation further reinforce the broad geological similarities between Orion’s project area and productive epithermal gold systems in the wider region, and suggest potential for multiple hydrothermal alteration systems with characteristics consistent with epithermal and/or porphyry gold-copper systems,” Orion Gold said.
The company indicated the targets identified by the ASTER data interpretation will become the focus for ground-based exploration activities upon the grant of tenure.
Initial follow-up exploration is expected to comprise: reconnaissance mapping; possible follow-up of key ASTER alteration points with surface spectral alteration (ASD) traverses, to confirm alteration mineralogy; and surface geochemical sampling.