Meteoric Resources Encounters Visible Gold from First Drillhole

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THE DRILL SERGEANT: Meteoric Resources (ASX: MEI) opened the end of the week by announcing the maiden drill hole JUDD001 at the company’s 100 per cent-owned Juruena gold project intersected visible gold within a broad alteration halo at target depth.

Meteoric Resources said that DDH JUDD001 had been drill confirm previous grades encountered by historic holes:

J‐07
1.8 metres at 20.9 grams per tonne gold;

MR‐10/2015
8m at 62.4g/t gold; and

MD 10‐2016
4.8m at 11.9g/t gold.

The company declared the recent drilling represents an initial confirmation of the high‐grade zone at Dona Maria.

Two holes have been completed by Meteoric, which are currently being logged and sampled before being dispatched for assay with results expected in approximately four weeks.

The second hole, diamond hole JUDD002 was drilled to 104.54 metres returning similar observations to JUDD001 with the host rock being a coarse‐grained, k‐ feldspar altered (pink) granite.

Multiple zones of alteration were intersected; however, no free gold has been observed:

40.5m‐42.8m: strong to moderate sericite‐quartz‐pyrite alteration;
46.6m‐48.2m: moderate chlorite‐carbonate alteration;
67m‐87m: Coarse granite with chlorite veinlets and minor k‐feldspar alteration; and
still awaiting completion of summary log EOH 104.5m.

“It is fantastic to see visible gold in our very first hole and an early vindication of our decision to commit to drilling the project immediately after acquisition,” Meteoric Resources managing director Andrew Tunks said in the company’s announcement to the Australian Securities Exchange.

“The exploration team in Brazil were excited to report visible gold in our first hole and this provides management with additional confidence in our program and the prospectivity of our Brazilian assets.

“Importantly, after the recent capital raise, we do not have to compromise the planned Juruena program to commence drilling at Novo Astro which we now anticipate commencing in Mid‐September.

“We are hard at work on both projects and look forward to updating the market when we have received some assays and interpreted the results.”

 

Website: www.meteoric.com.au

 

VRX Silica Upgrades Arrowsmith Central Resource

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THE DRILL SERGEANT: VRX Silica (ASX: VRX) completed a Resource upgrade for the Arrowsmith Central silica sand project, located north of Perth in Western Australia.

VRX Silica completed the upgrade following a drill program undertaken during March 2019.

The Mineral Resource estimate (MRE) for Arrowsmith Central has been upgraded to an Indicated Mineral Resource of 28.2 million tonnes at 96.6 per cent silicon dioxide (SiO2) in addition to an Inferred Mineral Resource of 48.3 million tonnes at 96.9 per cent SiO2 for a total MRE of 76.5 million tonnes at 96.8 per cent SiO2.

All Mineral Resources are reported in accordance with the JORC Code 2012.

“The Arrowsmith Central silica sand project is ideally positioned for a unique logistics solution with the project traversed by the Eneabba to Geraldton rail line with a direct connection to the Geraldton Port,” VRX Silica managing director Bruce Maluish said in the company’s announcement to the Australian Securities Exchange.

“This Mineral Resource estimation will now allow the company to finalise estimates of Ore Reserves which will support the impending BFS.”

The company explained that the Indicated Mineral Resource is predominately within the Mining Lease application area for Arrowsmith Central and it expects that the majority of the Indicated Mineral Resource will convert to Probable Reserves and a long-life mining project.

“This Mineral Resource is complementary to our Arrowsmith North silica sand project and adds not only to our total inventory but will also produce alternative products for the glassmaking and foundry industries in Asia,” Maluish said.

VRX Silica is now working towards completing the process for Mining Lease Applications and Environmental Approvals at both the Arrowsmith North and Arrowsmith Central silica sand projects.

The total Indicated and Inferred Resources at the company’s three silica sand projects is now in excess of one billion tonnes.

 

Email: info@vrxsilica.com.au

Website: www.vrxsilica.com.au

 

Pioneer Resources Intersects New Lithium and Caesium

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THE DRILL SERGEANT: Pioneer Resources (ASX: PIO) has just recently completed a drilling program at the company’s 100 per cent-held Pioneer Dome project, located in the Eastern Goldfields of Western Australia.

Pioneer Resources had designed the drilling to further test lithium and caesium extensions north and south of the recently completed Sinclair Caesium Mine Stage 1 Pit.

Drilling Highlights included:

Lithium

PDRC235
11 metres at 1.94 per cent lithium oxide (Li2O) from 40m (petalite)

PDRC236
8m at 3.1 per cent Li2O from 42m (petalite)

PDRC252
14m at 1.68 per cent Li2O from 38m (petalite)

PDRC241
21m at 1.96 per cent Li2O from 38m (petalite and lepidolite)

PDD258
11.2m at 1.77 per cent Li2O from 50m (petalite and lepidolite)

PDRC255
10m at 2.13 per cent Li2O from 40m (lepidolite)

PDD259
11.2m at 2.17 per cent Li2O from 52.5m (lepidolite)

Caesium

PDD262
2.8m at 14.58 per cent caesium oxide (Cs2O) from 51.9m (pollucite)

PDD261
1.9m at 23.92 per cent Cs2O from 54.5m (pollucite)

PDD259
0.8m at 14.01 per cent Cs2O from 54.7m (pollucite)

Pioneer conducted the drilling during late May and June 2019, consisting 24 RC drill holes (PDRC233- PDRC256 for 2,160m) and six diamond drill holes (PDD257 – PDD262 for 400.3m of core).

The company indicated the drilling intersected some of the thickest and highest-grade lenses of lithium (petalite and lepidolite) mineralisation to date (including a high-grade petalite intersection of 8m of 3.1% Li2O), as well as potash (K) feldspar and quartz, being continuations of zones encountered in the stage 1 Sinclair Caesium Mine.

The caesium mineral pollucite was intersected where targeted in three drill holes.

The extremely differentiated pegmatite core, where pollucite may occur, extends both north and south of the Sinclair Mine, albeit in this programme pollucite was intersected only as small pods north of the stage 1 pit.

Pioneer signalled it would now be commencing drilling for spodumene at the SPOD1 and SPOD2 targets, following identification of outcrops of spodumene at the Dome North prospect.

The company has been in discussion with pollucite offtaker, Sinomine Specialty Fluids Limited, resulting in variations to sale and shipping terms to expedite the shipping of pollucite stocks.

A shipment of approximately 2,000 tonnes of pollucite has been containerised ahead of a shipping date of 27 August 2019.

The company received a pre-shipment payment of US$700,000 ($1.029 million) on 12 August 2019, with a second pre-shipment payment of US$650,000 (~$0.956 million) due before containers are loaded onto the ship.

Further discussions are continuing with potential offtake parties interested in minerals other than pollucite that were stockpiled during excavation of the Sinclair Caesium Mine Stage 1 open pit.

“Several parties have, or are, undertaking test work on samples of the stockpiled materials, with most interest received for petalite to date,” Pioneer Resources said in its ASX announcement.

“Market feedback indicates that each of the stockpiled materials in its current form (i.e. run-of-mine) will require beneficiation to increase saleability and margins.

“Ore sorting test work is in train, and the results of this drilling program will contribute to the study of the viability of a future pit expansion.”

 

Website: www.pioresources.com.au

 

Meteoric Resources Funded to Accelerate Brazilian Exploration

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THE DRILL SERGEANT: Meteoric Resources (ASX: MEI) announced it had received firm commitments for a placement to fund an accelerated and expanded drilling exploration program at the company’s 100 per cent-owned Juruena and Novo Astro gold projects in Brazil.

Meteoric Resources informed the market of the placement to a small number of institutional and sophisticated investors will raise $2.7 million through the issue of approximately 84.4 million new shares at an issue price of 3.2 cents per share.

“Recent exploration at the Juruena and Novo Astro prospects has increased the company’s confidence in the discovery potential of Meteoric’s Brazilian assets,” Meteoric Resources managing director Andrew Tunks said in the company’s announcement to the Australian Securities Exchange.

“Over the last few weeks, diamond drilling at Juruena commenced and two rigs are currently onsite drilling double shifts at Dona Maria (Juruena).

“Additional first pass exploration has been underway 30 kilometres to the east at Novo Astro and has recognised thick zones of alteration and mineralisation within basement rocks that have been the target of extensive artisanal mining.

“It is the company’s opinion that the targets at Novo Astro warrant a large and detailed drilling program far in excess of its early expectations.

“The new capital injection will be used to bring in additional drilling capacity to effectively run two exploration teams working in tandem, one at Juruena and one at Novo Astro to immediately grow an understanding of the geology and gold distribution at these exciting bonanza-grade gold projects.

“Crucially the Novo Astra program can now scale up without affecting the company’s strong focus on Juruena, allowing both projects to be tested over the coming months, concurrently expanding and fast tracking our initial plans.”

 

Website: www.meteoric.com.au

 

Cassini Resources Commences Drilling at Mt Squires Gold Project

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THE DRILL SERGEANT: Cassini Resources (ASX: CZI) has commenced RC drilling at the Handpump prospect on the company’s 100 per cent-owned Mount Squires project, located adjacent to the western border of its West Musgrave JV project with OZ Minerals (ASX: OZL) in the Musgrave Province of Western Australia.

Cassini Resources’ Mount Squires project is an early stage exploration project, the company considers highly prospective for gold.

Drilling at the Handpump prospect is now underway that is designed to confirm mineralisation controls and extensions to previous drill intercepts which include a best result of 15 metres at 2.3 grams per tonne gold from 31m within a broader mineralised envelope of 57m at 0.94g/t gold from 14m.

Cassini explained this drilling program represents the first drilling to be undertaken at the Handpump prospect since 2011, prior to Cassini’s ownership.

Simultaneously, a high-resolution aeromagnetic survey has commenced over the northern half of the Mount Squires gold project to assist with structural and lithological mapping which should assist in targeting gold mineralisation in these geological settings.

“Cassini has compiled all previous exploration into a consolidated database and utilised public geological and geophysical datasets to assist with geological interpretation and targeting,” the company said in its ASX announcement.

“This program marks the beginning of the company collecting new data to close the gaps in the existing data sets.

“The company has demonstrated expertise in operating in the region and continues to operate all field activities at the adjacent West Musgrave JV nickel and copper project.”

 

Email: admin@cassiniresources.com.au

Website: www.cassiniresources.com.au

 

Canyon Resources Drills High-Grade Results from New Southern Bauxite Plateau

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THE DRILL SERGEANT: Canyon Resources (ASX: CAY) reported high-grade results from an initial exploration drilling program conducted on the Sophia Plateau on the Makan Licence, at the company’s Minim Martap bauxite project in Cameroon.

Canyon Resources said intervals of over 50 per cent aluminium oxide (Al2O3) were identified in 23 of the initial 27- hole program completed in July 2019.

The company explained the results delineate high-grade, low contaminant bauxite from surface in a new exploration area.

Drilling intersections include:

12 metres at 50.1 per cent Al2O3 and 1.1 per cent silicon dioxide (SiO2) (total) from surface;

7m at 50.1 per cent Al2O3 and 1.9 per cent SiO2 (total) from surface;

7m at 50.4 per cent Al2O3 and 1 per cent SiO2 (total) from surface;

7m at 51 per cent Al2O3 and 1.1 per cent SiO2 (total) from surface;

8m at 51.3 per cent Al2O3 and 1.1 per cent SiO2 (total) from 1m;

11m at 50.9 per cent Al2O3 and 0.9 per cent SiO2 (total) from 2m;

8m at 51.2 per cent Al2O3 and 1.1 per cent SiO2 (total) from surface; and

5m at 53.7 per cent Al2O3 and 1.1 per cent SiO2 (total) from surface.

Canyon said the drilling results from Makan outline the potential for further high-grade bauxite plateaux in addition to those already identified within the project area.

None of the plateaux within the Makan tenement have been drilled or included in bauxite resource estimates previously.

The Makan permit includes the second largest bauxite plateau at the project which presents a priority target for future drilling.

“The drilling results from the previously untested Makan licence are very pleasing and confirm Canyon’s regional geological model for extensive and new high-grade bauxite resource potential,” Canyon Resources chief geologist Dr Alexander Shaw said in the company’s announcement to the Australian Securities Exchange.

“These results further confirm the global Tier 1 status of the project.”

The company is progressing a Pre-Feasibility Study (PFS) for the Minim Martap bauxite project.

Throughout the next 12 months, targeted resource drilling will be completed to support delivery of the PFS.

 

Email: info@canyonresources.com.au

Website: www.canyonresources.com.au

 

Blackstone Minerals Intersects Healthy Nickel Sulphides at Ta Khoa Nickel Project

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THE DRILL SERGEANT: Blackstone Minerals (ASX: BSX) shook away the morning cobwebs on Day Two of the Diggers & Dealers Mining Forum in Kalgoorlie by releasing results from its maiden drilling program on the company’s Ta Khoa nickel project in Northern Vietnam.

Blackstone Minerals announced its maiden drilling at the Ta Khoa nickel project in Northern Vietnam had intersected substantial disseminated nickel sulphide mineralisation within the first three drill holes delivering results, including:

BP19-01
22 metres at 0.76 per cent nickel, 0.13 per cent copper and 0.01 per cent cobalt from 138m, including 5m at 2.23 per cent nickel, 0.17 per cent copper and 0.03 per cent cobalt from 138m;

BP19-02
17.8m at 1 per cent nickel, 0.09 per cent copper and 0.01 per cent cobalt from 106.6m; and

BP19-03
45.5m at 1.2 per cent nickel, 0.17 per cent copper and 0.01 per cent cobalt from 56.5m.

All holes have platinum, palladium and gold assays pending.

In concert with the drilling Blackstone has undertaken an initial IP survey test line, the results from which it will use to target a second phase of drilling over the coming weeks.

Blackstone will continue to test for shallow DSS targets at Ban Phuc and using the IP survey results will commence the second phase of drilling to target high chargeability and low resistivity zones which correlate with the higher-grade zones within the Ban Phuc DSS.

Blackstone is the first company to use IP as a targeting tool at Ban Phuc and has interpreted the initial results to suggest the geophysical method will enable it to define higher grade zones within both the MSV and DSS prospects throughout the Ta Khoa nickel project.

“The initial results from our maiden drilling at Ta Khoa have confirmed we have a large unmined disseminated sulphide body at Ban Phuc, we look forward to more results from the IP survey to define further targets for our second phase of deeper drilling which we will commence over the coming weeks,” Blackstone Minerals managing director Scott Williamson said in the company’s announcement to the Australian Securities Exchange.

The Ta Khoa nickel project is located west of Hanoi in the Son La Province of Vietnam and includes an existing modern nickel mine (Ban Phuc) built to Australian Standards, which is currently under care and maintenance.

The Ban Phuc nickel mine operated as a mechanised underground nickel mine from 2013 to 2016.

Blackstone ’s maiden Minerals considers its drilling results to be consistent with historic drilling and confirm the potential for a large unmined disseminated sulphide prospect at Ban Phuc.

 

Email: admin@blackstoneminerals.com.au

Website: www.blackstoneminerals.com.au

 

Lithium Australia Claims Maiden Discovery at Youanmi

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THE DRILL SERGEANT: Lithium Australia (ASX: LIT) kicked off its week at Diggers & Dealers 2019 by reporting the results of a maiden RC drilling program within the company’s Youanmi project area in Western Australia.

Lithium Australia has an option to acquire full rights and title to three exploration licences at Youanmi that contain lithium, caesium and tantalum (LCT) pegmatites, as well as vanadium mineralisation in a nearby layered mafic complex.

The company said the RC drilling program was designed to test down-dip extensions of outcropping lithium-bearing pegmatites where rock-chip samples yielding up to 4.2 per cent lithium oxide (Li2O) had been identified and lepidolite mineralisation observed in RC drill cuttings.

To date, 54 RC holes have been completed, from which the first batch of assay results has reported high-grade lepidolite mineralisation hosted in pegmatites.

LIT said the extent of known lithium-bearing pegmatites has been extended by this maiden drilling program and that it was encouraged that mineralisation is reported over good widths of high-grades, is shallow and remains open down dip and along strike.

Assay results returned lithium intersections, including:

19YMRC037
8 metres at 1.39 per cent Li2O from 8m;

19YMRC036
7m at 1.42 per cent Li2O from 20m;

19YMRC030
6m at 1.64 per cent Li2O from 11m – includes 1m at 3.07 per cent Li2O;

19YMRC027
6m at 1.54 per cent Li2O from 1m;

19YMRC039
5m at 1.57 per cent Li2O from 13m;

19YMRC038
5m at 1.2 per cent Li2O from 31m.

“These great results from our first-pass drilling program vindicate our exploration model,” Lithium Australia managing director Adrian Griffin said in the company’s announcement to the Australian Securities Exchange.

“Good widths of high-grade lithium mineralisation in pegmatites are reported at Youanmi, including 8 metres at 1.39 per cent Li2O and 7 metres at 1.42 per cent Li2O from 20 metres, with results from 19 holes pending.

“Importantly, the mineralisation is shallow and remains open down dip and along strike.

“The lithium is hosted in lepidolite, a lithium mica ideally suited to processing by our proprietary SiLeach® technology.

“Initial results suggest Youanmi could provide critical local feedstock for our lithium-cathode and battery business units.”

 

Email: info@lithium-au.com

Website: www.lithium-au.com

 

Bellevue Gold Claims New Gold Discovery

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THE DRILL SERGEANT: Bellevue Gold (ASX: BGL) made the most of day one of Diggers & Dealers 2019 by announcing a new gold discovery at the company’s Bellevue gold project in Western Australia.

Bellevue Gold said that the first assay results from a major new target area identified in the foot wall to the Bellevue Mine resulted in the a new discovery, which has been named the Deacon Lode, located offset around 400 metres to the east of the base of the historic Bellevue underground mine.

The company explained that exploration drilling has been conducted on 200 to 240 metre spaced drill lines with only a single hole completed on each of the sections from 550 metres depth from surface to about 750 metres below surface.

A total of eight holes have been drilled so far with results received for the first seven holes.

Bellevue style biotite shearing was intercepted in all drillholes with quartz sulphide visible gold mineralisation logged in six of the holes.

Results from the first 7 holes include the following intercepts:

DRDD130
3.6 metres at 18.3 grams per tonne gold from 654.6m, including 2.2m at 27.8g/t gold from 656m;

DRDD088
1.8m at 5.9g/t gold from 653m;

DRDD086
2m at 4.2g/t gold from 669m and 2.4m at 4.9g/t gold from 676m;

DRDD139
2.5m at 5.1g/t gold from 753m; and

DRDD110
2m at 4.9g/t gold from 748m.

Bellevue Gold said the latest results were comparable in tenor to those of the Viago Lode discovery the company made last year at a similar exploration stage.

“The discovery of offset mineralisation in the Bellevue footwall below the historic Bellevue underground workings represents a major milestone in exploration at the Bellevue gold project,” Bellevue Gold managing director Steve Parsons said in the company’s announcement to the Australian Securities Exchange.

“The recent drilling has opened up exploration below the Bellevue mine and confirms the Bellevue system is alive below the limit of the historic mine.

“The strike rate on this first pass broad centres is similar to that at the Bellevue Mine when considered on 200 metre drill spacings and the tenor and size of the DHEM plates is very similar to the historic mine.

“This new discovery despite being offset approximately 400 metres from the base of the old mine the exploration team believes the recent drilling reflects the likely continuation of the Bellevue shear lode system beneath the old mine.

“Following the recent capital raising the company is fully funded to continue with our strategy to continue to expand the extents of the mineralised system in combination with starting to increase confidence in the current 1.8 Million ounce Inferred resource estimate.

“With six diamond core drill rigs operating at the project the company anticipates significant newsflow over the next six to 12 months.”

 

Email: admin@bellevuegold.com.au

Website: www.bellevuegold.com.au

 

S2 Resources Scores High-Grade Hits in Finland

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THE DRILL SERGEANT: S2 Resources (ASX: S2R) opened it Diggers & Dealers 2019 account with the announcement of assay results for the first 14 of 32 holes drilled during the first phase of reconnaissance diamond drilling at the company’s 100 per cent-owned Aarnivalkea gold anomaly in Finland.

S2 Resources said the drilling achieved its objective by confirming the presence of a shear zone system with hydrothermal alteration, widespread gold anomalism, and high-grade gold mineralisation.

Highlights included:

FAVD0006
10 metres at 1 gram per tonne gold from 87m;

FAVD0012
5.5m at 2g/t gold from 42m, including 0.7m at 6.7g/t gold and 1m at 5.3g/t gold; and

FAVD0015
6m at 5.4g/t gold from 59m, including 4m at 7.8g/t gold.

Alongside these results, BOT drilling undertaken concurrently with the diamond drilling extended the Aarnivalkea anomaly to the south, identifying a parallel trend to the west of the main trend, with a best end of hole value of 2.17g/t gold.

S2 Resources explained the broad spacing of the holes it has drilled to date and the number of holes with assays still to come means it is too soon to identify specific hotspots for follow up so the rig has been moved to start drilling the Aakenusvaara gold prospect.

Once the remaining assays have been received the rig will commence follow up drilling which will comprise infill lines to tighten the spacing along strike, extensional lines to test the new BOT anomalies, and probe around the gold hotspots identified in phase 1.

The company expects the remaining assays will be received by mid-late August and that the rig will recommence drilling at Aarnivalkea by late August.

“Finland is a highly prospective but under-explored country and despite being only 25 kilometres away from Europe’s biggest gold mine, Aarnivalkea is completely unexplored, so these preliminary drilling results underpin the reason why we decided to explore there,” S2 Resources CEO Mark Bennett said in the company’s announcement to the Australian Securities Exchange.

“Our next milestone is the receipt of further assays from other holes completed, and we hope to build on these results over the coming weeks through our systematic program at Aarnivalkea whilst also progressing our other emerging gold and nickel prospects elsewhere in Lapland.”

 

Email: admin@s2resources.com.au

Website: www.s2resources.com.au