Encounter Resources Pegs New NT Tenements

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THE DRILL SERGEANT: Encounter Resources (ASX: ENR) has pegged six new project areas covering 14,800 square kilometres in the Northern Territory.

Encounter Resources said it had pegged the ground based on potential to contain large, sedimentary-hosted and IOCG style copper deposits.

The areas lie in a highly prospective but vastly underexplored region under shallow cover located between the major copper-gold producing districts of Mt Isa and Tennant Creek and came to the company’s attention via new datasets provided by Geoscience Australia, as part of the Federal Government’s Exploring for the Future Program.

The application for new exploration licences comprise the Elliott and Jessica copper projects in the Northern Territory.

Elliott was the first project secured by Encounter in the Northern Territory.

The project comprises seven tenements covering more than 4,500sqkm, four of which covering over 3,000sqkm were granted in March 2020.

The Elliott project is located on the Stuart Highway which runs along the western margin of the project.

The second project – Jessica, covers approximately 5,500sqkm along key structural corridors east of Tennant Creek and is prospective for sedimentary-hosted copper and IOCG style deposits.

Access to the project is via the sealed Tablelands Highway that traverses the western side of Jessica.

“Copper sourced from sedimentary-hosted deposits is one of the largest sources of copper metal in the world today,” Encounter Resources managing director Will Robinson said in the company’s announcement to the Australian Securities Exchange.

“The potential for sedimentary-hosted copper deposits to be found under thin cover in the Northern Territory is being opened up through the interrogation of new government datasets.

“Encounter moved early and aggressively to secure a series of camp scale, first mover opportunities in this new frontier.

“Early exploration has yielded exciting results which we will now seek to build on.”

 

TO READ THE FULL ANNOUNCEMENT: CLICK HERE

 

Email: contact@enrl.com.au

 

Web: www.enrl.com.au

 

Blackstone Minerals Pulls Off New Nickel Zone Discovery at Ta Khoa

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THE DRILL SERGEANT: Blackstone Minerals (ASX: BSX) is enjoying its time in Vietnam, this time declaring the discovery of a new zone of nickel mineralisation at the company’s Ta Khoa nickel-copper-PGE project.

Blackstone’s in-house geophysics crew encountered the Viper Discovery Zone to the east of the Ban Chang prospect, generating the blind discovery of potential massive sulphide nickel targets from a series of new shallow EM anomalies.

The geology team followed up the new EM anomalies with a series of trenches to better understand the prospectivity of the VDZ and discovered a nickel-copper gossan.

“The VDZ is a blind discovery which bodes well for further blind discoveries throughout the Ta Khoa Nickel-copper-PGE district and shows the potential of this project to host much more undiscovered nickel sulphide mineralisation,” Blackstone Minerals managing director Scott Williamson said in the company’s announcement to the Australian Securities Exchange.

“In addition to blind discovery potential, we have 25 massive sulphide targets, which are all associated with outcropping mineralisation at surface, and with our in-house geophysics team, we can generate additional blind discoveries that were not known to previous operators of the project.”

 

TO READ THE FULL ANNOUNCEMENT: CLICK HERE

 

Email: admin@blackstoneminerals.com.au

 

Web: www.blackstoneminerals.com.au

 

Atrum Coal Continues Thick Canadian Coal Intersections

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THE DRILL SERGEANT: Atrum Coal (ASX: ATU) recently completed the RAB drilling component of the 2020 field program at the company’s 100 per cent-owned Elan hard coking coal project in southern Alberta, Canada.

Atrum Coal has completed 102 holes at the Elan project, 94 of which were drilled within the Scoping Study pit shell, reducing the typical hole spacing to 100 – 200 metres in most areas.

Eight RAB holes were drilled to the north of the Scoping Study pit shell, mainly as sterilisation drilling for potential ex-pit waste dump locations under consideration in the current PFS.

The final RAB holes will target areas where thrust faulting occurs.

The drilling predominantly focused on Inferred resource areas within the optimised pit shell that was identified in the Elan project Scoping Study, targeting upgrades to resource classification for inclusion in the PFS mine schedule.

Atrum consistently encountered thick, shallow coal intersections, demonstrating that cumulative apparent coal thicknesses continue to average over 30m per hole within the pit shell, starting from as little as 3m below surface.

Total apparent coal intersections over the past month include;

88.8 metres in ISRAB20-057;
80.6 metres in ISRAB20-056; and
76.8 metres in ISRAB20-055.

“Program delivery, both RAB and coring, has been strong and keeps us well on track for the targeted resource update in 4Q 2020,” Atrum Coal managing director and CEO Andrew Caruso said in the company’s announcement to the Australian Securities Exchange.

“Most importantly, the results of the 2020 program have to date validated our resource expectations at Isolation South.

“We have been successful in demonstrating both the continuity and thickness of target coal seams in key Inferred resource areas.

“These outcomes bode well for the resource update later this year and the mine schedule to be incorporated into the Elan project PFS due in mid-2021.”

 

TO READ THE FULL ANNOUNCEMENT: CLICK HERE

 

Email: info@atrumcoal.com

 

Web: www.atrumcoal.com

 

Antipa Minerals Highlights New Havieron-Style Gold-Copper Targets

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THE DRILL SERGEANT: Antipa Minerals (ASX: AZY) reported results from an aerial electromagnetic (AEM) geophysical survey completed on the company’s Wilki Farm-in project within the Paterson Province of Western Australia.

The survey was completed by Antipa’s Farm-in partner Newcrest and is part of the Wilki 2020 Exploration Program that consists of two phases of greenfield exploration to be operated by Antipa and fully-funded by Newcrest Operations Limited.

Under the terms of the Wilki Project Farm-in Agreement, Newcrest is required to fund a minimum of $6 million of exploration expenditure, inclusive of management fees, within two years.

The survey identified three high priority preliminary targets situated within 10 to 44 kilometres of high-grade the Havieron gold-copper deposit and the Telfer gold-copper mine and processing facility.

According to Antipa, some targets have similar characteristics to high-grade Havieron gold-copper deposit.

Drill testing of identified AEM and magnetic targets is planned to commence in October while the exploration program continues charged with the aim of discovering similar style mineralised systems to nearby Telfer, Havieron, Winu and Nifty deposits.

 

TO READ THE ANNOUNCEMENT IN FULL: CLICK HERE

 

Email: admin@antipaminerals.com.au

 

Web: www.antipaminerals.com.au

 

Alicanto Minerals Identifies Four New Swedish Copper-Gold Targets

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THE DRILL SERGEANT: Alicanto Minerals (ASX: AQI) has applied for new tenements at Stone Lake, Heritage Valley and Swamp Thing, all located within the company’s Greater Falun copper-gold project in Sweden.

The applications follow recent fieldwork by Alicanto that has demonstrated the new Greater Falun tenements contain several copper-gold skarn targets in addition to those the company has previously announced at Wolf Mt, Heden and Lustebo.

Alicanto’s recent work also led to its claim of discovery of high-grade copper-gold mineralisation within granite at the Birch Mountain target.

Grab samples taken from the historic test mining area at Birch Mountain identified 4.94 per cent copper with 0.3 grams per tonne gold and 3.61 per cent copper with 0.18g/t gold in strongly K-feldspar altered granite.

Alicanto has interpreted the location to represent the causative plutonic part of a copper-gold skarn system.

This takes the total number of discovered copper-gold skarns at surface to seven, all discovered since January 2020 and within 15 kilometres of the Greater Falun project.

“These latest high-grade copper-gold results from the recent surface mapping campaign continue to strongly support Alicanto’s interpretation of the significance of the previous Wolf Mt, Heden and Lustebo copper-gold skarn discoveries,” Alicanto Minerals managing director Peter George said in the company’s announcement to the Australian Securities Exchange.

“A regional distribution with seven (so far) of these copper-gold skarn systems has now been identified in the Greater Falun area.

“These further highlight the immense prospectivity of Alicanto’s land holding in what is a highly-endowed region.”

 

TO READ THE ANNOUNCEMENT IN FULL: CLICK HERE

 

Email: info@alicantominerals.com.au

 

Web: www.alicantominerals.com.au

 

Alto Metals Confirms Shallow Gold at Sandstone

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THE DRILL SERGEANT: Alto Metals (ASX: AME) completed a recent program of infill drilling to confirm continuity of a new mineralised lode to the south of the Lord Nelson pit at the company’s Sandstone gold project in Western Australia.

Alto Metals carried out the drilling to the south of the Lord Nelson pit, to close the previous drill spacing to 40 metres over a portion of the southern extension.

The drilling intercepted the new gold lode at the predicted lode position and confirmed the continuity of mineralisation.

A step-out drill hole confirmed mineralisation of the new lode extends a further 80m and remains open.

Alto is of the opinion this new lode, located just 200m to the south, appears to be a repeat of Lord Nelson, which historically produced 207,000 ounces of gold at 4.6 grams per tonne mined down to a depth of 90m.

Latest infill drilling results include:

SRC191
28 metres at 2.8 grams per tonne gold from 48m, including 4m at 7.4g/t gold from 56m;

SRC192
16m at 3.7g/t gold from 108m, including 4m at 8.2 g/t gold from 116m; and

SRC190
16m at 1.6g/t gold from 24m, including 4m at 3.8g/t gold from 36m.

Results from the 80m step out drilling results include:

SRC197
8m at 2.4g/t gold from 156m.

“This new lode is emerging as a repeat of Lord Nelson and these latest outstanding results continue to support our view of the likelihood of a much larger mineralised gold system,” Alto Metals managing director Matthew Bowles said in the company’s announcement to the Australian Securities Exchange.

“Drilling has now demonstrated the continuity of the new mineralised lode, which is already known to extend over 100 metres down dip and over 300 metres strike and remains open.

“RC drilling is ongoing at Lord Nelson, targeting high-grade gold mineralisation beneath the pit and further extensional drilling of this new lode.

“We remain focused on continuing exploration, despite the current corporate distractions, and look forward to updating shareholders on further drilling results”

TO READ THE ANNOUNCEMENT IN FULL: CLICK HERE

Email: admin@altometals.com.au

Web: www.altometals.com.au

Ardiden Has Kasagiminnis Exploration Permit Renewed

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THE DRILL SERGEANT: Ardiden (ASX: ADV) lifted a self-imposed trading halt by announcing it has been issued an Exploration Permit renewal in relation to the 100 per cent-owned Kasagiminnis deposit at the company’s Pickle Lake gold project, Ontario, Canada.

Ardiden was issued the permit having met the required consultation with all neighbouring First Nation groups as stipulated under (COVID-19) modified Mines Department (MENDM) Permit conditions.

The global COVID-19 situation had presented a short delay to the company’s anticipated Summer drill program at the Kasagiminnis gold deposit, however, Ardiden now anticipates having a drill rig in place at Kasagiminnis within two weeks, which will provide sufficient time to complete its planned (Canadian) Summer drilling program.

“The Pickle Lake region has at least two other companies actively drilling gold prospects in the area, and this has placed unprecedented pressures on the small local FN communities and heightened concerns due to the COVID situation in Ontario,” Ardiden exploration manager Dan Grabiec said in the company’s announcement to the Australian Securities Exchange.

“Now that we have all the necessary permits, we are very much looking forward and moving quickly to commence our summer drilling campaign at our flagship Kasagiminnis gold deposit and thanks to our recent capital raising, preparing for a larger Winter program.”

Ardiden will also continue exploration activity across all of its other gold deposits and prospects at the Pickle Lake gold project.

 

TO READ THE ANNOUNCEMENT IN FULL: CLICK HERE

 

Email: info@ardiden.com.au

 

Web: www.ardiden.com.au

 

Middle Island Increases Two Mile Hill Resource Estimate

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THE DRILL SERGEANT: Middle Island Resources (ASX: MDI) has updated the resource estimate for the Two Mile Hill open pit gold deposit within the company’s wholly-owned Sandstone gold project in the central goldfields of WA.

Middle Island reported the updated estimate follows completion of infill and extension drilling undertaken as part of a 2020 exploration and resource definition drilling campaign at Sandstone.

Two Mile Hill is one of 10 Sandstone gold deposits that are the subject of Middle Island’s ongoing drilling campaign and feasibility study (FS) in 2020.

Source: Company announcement

This campaign is still underway and is focussed on the definition of additional open pit Mineral Resources for inclusion for assessment as Ore Reserves in the project’s FS.

The update has resulted in a 13 per cent increase in the Two Mile Hill open pit Mineral Resource, to 1.25 million tonnes at 1.36 grams per tonne gold for 55,000 ounces.

It also increases Sandstone’s current total project Mineral Resources to 657,500 ounces gold which, importantly, does not include Middle Island’s five new satellite gold discoveries where resource definition drilling is being finalised.

The proportion of the Two Mile Hill open pit deposit classified as an Indicated Mineral Resource also increased to 95 per cent.

Two Mile Hill is one of 10 Sandstone gold deposits the subject of Middle Island’s ongoing +40,000m drilling campaign and feasibility study in 2020.

“The updated Mineral Resource estimate at the Two Mile Hill open pit gold deposit results in a marginal increase in tonnage and grade, primarily derived from infill drilling of the basalt-hosted mineralisation in the northeast quadrant of the deposit,” Middle Island Resources managing director Rick Yeates said in the company’s announcement to the Australian Securities Exchange.

“This outcome represents an increase of approximately 7,000 ounces (or 13%) to the Two Mile Hill open pit Mineral Resource, with some 95 per cent now classified in the higher confidence Indicated category.

“This is a very pleasing outcome, which when re-optimised, will make a further meaningful contribution to open pit Mineral Resources contributing to the feasibility study, the outcome of which is looking increasingly positive.

“Resource estimates for the five new satellite open pit deposits have commenced which, along with extensions to the Goat Farm and Twin Shafts deposits, will be progressively provided as final results from the Phase 2 drilling campaign are received and compiled.”

 

Email: info@middleisland.com.au

 

Web: www.middleisland.com.au

 

Legend Mining Hits Further Nickel Copper Sulphides at Mawson

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THE DRILL SERGEANT: Legend Mining (ASX: LEG) delivered further encouraging news from drilling underway at the Mawson massive-sulphide-nickel deposit within the company’s Rockford project in Western Australia.

Legend Mining reported that continued drilling of hole RKDD021 has intersected a total of 24.65 metres of nickel-copper sulphides across two intervals:

9.3m of heavy disseminated to net-textured sulphide from 132.2m to 141.5m downhole; and

15.35m of net-textured, heavy disseminated and semi-massive sulphide from 219.1m to 234.45m downhole.

“The observations from this step out hole are an exciting development in the Mawson story,” Legend Mining managing director Mark Wilson said in the company’s announcement to the Australian Securities Exchange.

“Geologically we have now intersected significant mineralisation several hundred metres to the east north-east of our previous discovery and our geophysical advice is that we probably have not hit the best part of this conductor.

“Our proven systematic methodology of DHTEM and structural logging of this hole on completion will provide the data for the design of the next diamond holes in this immediate vicinity.

“Meanwhile the diamond, RC and aircore programs are ongoing at Mawson and regionally within the Rockford project.”

 

Web: www.legendmining.com.au

 

Blackstone Minerals Doubles Down on Ta Khoa Exploration

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THE DRILL SERGEANT: Blackstone Minerals (ASX: BSX) enjoyed another big week of news flow from the company’s Ta Khoa nickel-copper-PGE project in Vietnam.

Blackstone Minerals informed the market it has picked up the pace of its exploration activities underway at the Ta Khoa nickel-copper-PGE project, setting a new industry standard by adding a second geophysics crew and three additional drill rigs to its fleet, thereby doubling its exploration capacity.

Blackstone already had three drill rigs operating across the Ta Khoa project and now the addition of a fourth company-owned diamond rig will give it the option to test multiple prospects simultaneously, accelerating future resource upgrades, once it reaches completion of a maiden resource, scheduled for this quarter.

By owning and operating its own drill rigs, Blackstone said it has recognised substantial cost savings, with approximately 60 per cent reduction of per metre drilling costs relative to Australian industry averages.

Owning and operating four diamond drill rigs substantially increases the amount of drilling the company can undertake relative to other companies for the same expenditure.

“Blackstone is pleased to announce that we have doubled our exploration capacity to allow us to accelerate our exploration program to rapidly unlock what’s shaping up to be a world class nickel sulphide district at Ta Khoa,” Blackstone Minerals managing director Scott Williamson said in the company’s announcement to the Australian Securities Exchange.

“We have expanded our exploration capacity by adding an additional geophysics crew and a further three drill rigs.

“The additions will ensure we can progress the project as rapidly as possible in a cost-effective manner.

“We are looking forward to a steady stream of drilling results during Q3 and Q4 2020 and will keep our shareholders up to date as results become available.”

The doubling up of drilling equipment and personnel came on the back of the company announcing continued intersecting of high-grade massive sulphide nickel-copper-PGE at Ban Chang, part of the Ta Khoa project.

The first four holes of Blackstone Minerals’ maiden drilling program at Ban Chang have all encountered sulphide mineralisation.

The latest of these, BC20-04, returned:

21.5 metres at 0.69 per cent nickel, 0.66 per cent copper, 0.03 per cent cobalt and 0.81 grams per tonne PGE from 71m

13.4m at 1.01 per cent nickel, 0.96 per cent copper, 0.05 per cent cobalt and 1.14g/t PGE from 76m, including 2.1m at 2.53 per cent nickel, 1.36 per cent copper, 0.11 per cent cobalt and 0.76g/t PGE from 77.6m.

The four maiden drill holes were drilled more than 1.2 kilometres apart and along strike within a 1.2km-long massive sulphide target zone defined by high priority EM plates.

Blackstone has now moved to an aggressive drill out phase to delineate a maiden resource at Ban Chang to supplement the ongoing studies focused on producing nickel sulphate for the lithium-ion battery industry.

The company has recently purchased a third drill rig that will follow its geophysics crew throughout the Ta Khoa nickel sulphide district, testing high-priority EM targets generated from 25 MSV prospects, including King Snake, Ban Khoa, Ban Chang, and Ta Cuong.

The largest of these rigs will continue drilling at the King Cobra Discovery zone (KCZ), while the two smaller drill rigs will operate at Ban Chang East and Ban Chang West.

Blackstone’s Scoping Study on downstream processing to produce nickel sulphate for the lithium-ion battery industry and Ban Phuc maiden resource are on track for completion in Q3, CY20.

“Hole 4 has delivered our broadest Ban Chang intersection to date and confirms we have a bulk tonnage opportunity that has potential to deliver significant high-grade nickel to our future mine plan which will be underpinned by a base load feed coming from our flagship Ban Phuc orebody which includes the KCZ,” Williamson said.

“Ban Chang is the first of our 25 MSV targets to be tested throughout the Ta Khoa nickel-copper-PGE district, leaving plenty of upside for adding high-grade feed to what looks like a bulk open pit mining scenario at Ban Phuc and KCZ.”

 

Email: admin@blackstoneminerals.com.au

 

Web: www.blackstoneminerals.com.au