Beadell hits high-grades outside Duckhead

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THE DRILL SERGEANT: Beadell Resources (ASX: BDR) has achieved further high-grade drill results from the Duckhead Main Lode at the company’s 100 per cent-owned Tucano gold mine in Brazil.

The results include:
 
19 metres at 62.8 grams per tonne gold, including 7m at 162.8g/t gold; and

27m at 6.2g/t gold, including 5m at 24.6g/t gold.

 

Plan view of Duckhead showing new result and step out drilling. Source: Company announcement

 

Both these results are outside of the Duckhead current resource/reserve wireframe model and have been interpreted by Beadell to be a direct extension of previously announced results of 31m at 490.8g/t gold, including a metre assay of 14,018.6g/t or 1.4 per cent.

The company currently has a program of step out diamond and RC drilling underway targeting direct extensions to the Duckhead lodes and exploring for new lodes in the immediate Duckhead area.

Additional infill drilling in the gap/saddle area between Tap AB2 and Tap AB3 open pits has intersected the previously unknown Lookout Lode.

The results include:

12m at 9.8g/t gold from 12m to bottom of hole (BOH);

13m at 17.7g/t gold from 11 m to BOH;

5m at 21.5g/t gold from 17m; and

5m at 15.2 g/t gold from 17m.

Beadell said the new Lookout Lode will add incremental and immediately accessible reserve ounces to the Tap AB open pit.

The company claims the new results have confirmed the existence of an ultra-high-grade shoot/spur extending off the Main Lode to the west.

“Previous modelling of the Main Lode had interpreted a steep change in dip and orientation of the Main Lode to link up with deeper very high grade results,” Beadell Resources said in its ASX announcement

“Whilst this interpretation remains intact, it now appears that the change in dip of the Main Lode is associated with the intersection of two mineralised structures rather than a single mineralised structure.

‘The Main Lode structure plunging moderately west from surface, now appears to continue past the point of intersection with the deeper Main Lode structure for at least 20 m to where the new high grade results are located.

“Further drilling is required to close off this extension/spur off the Main Lode; however, the new results will add incremental reserve ounces ensuring continued positive ounce reconciliation.”

Beadell has also commenced step out exploration diamond drilling with a deep framework hole targeting lode repetitions south of the Wing Lode that will also test the down plunge potential of the known Lodes.

The company explained the drilling is aimed at defining an underground resource at Duckhead below the shallow open pit.

Beadell considers Duckhead to have excellent potential for future underground development if the exploration drilling can define the down-plunge continuation of the known lodes.

Email: info@beadellresources.com.au

Website: www.beadellresources.com.au

Musgrave Minerals extends Frakes silver target

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THE DRILL SERGEANT: Musgrave Minerals (ASX: MGV) has extended the silver anomaly at the Frakes target on the Menninnie Dam project in the southern Gawler Craton region of South Australia.

The extension is the result of recently completed detailed surface geochemistry at the Frakes target.

Musgrave said the highest silver numbers in the detailed surface geochemistry were encountered in untested areas offset from where it has carried out previous drilling.

 

Location of drill hole collars at Frakes prospect with infill
surface geochemistry showing significant surface silver geochemical
anomalism west and south east of current drilling. Source: Company
announcement

 

Musgrave Minerals has entered into a Joint Venture Agreement with Menninnie Metals Pty Ltd, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Terramin Australia (ASX: TZN) to earn a 51 per cent interest in the Menninnie Dam project in the first stage, and up to a 75 per cent interest thereafter.

Musgrave recently completed a detailed soil sampling grid (50m by 100m) over the Frakes target with the aim of better defining the silver anomalism.

According to the company the results have returned highly anomalous silver values including a peak value of 407.3ppb silver at the western edge of the grid where the anomalism remains open.

The company has also completed an eight hole diamond drilling program on three separate targets, the Frakes, Spare Rib and Tank Hill targets, which intersected epithermal alteration and anomalism in all drill holes.
 
Assay results have been received for seven of the eight drill holes.

Results from the Spare Rib target, located less than 2km east of the Menninnie Central and Viper deposits returned evidence of anomalous silver, lead and zinc mineralisation with individual assay values up to:

1.1 per cent lead, 0.7 per cent zinc and 46.4 grams per tonne silver in an altered marble unit Musgrave described to be similar to that which hosts the mineralisation at the Menninnie Central deposit.

Musgrave explained it has interpreted the mineralisation at Frakes to be associated with epithermal breccias consistent with the porphyry-epithermal subvolcanic vent breccia model Musgrave has for this target.

The recent diamond drilling in the vicinity of a previous high grade intercept (10m at 990g/t silver) encountered in February at Frakes has not demonstrated continuity of this zone.

However as the recent geochemistry results extend the anomaly to the west, Musgrave considers the drilling has not yet tested the most prospective part of the target.

“The high silver grade originally intersected in aircore drilling at Frakes is very positive and with the strongest parts of the surface geochem response sitting untested to the west, south-west and south-east, this target continues to be very encouraging,” Musgrave Minerals managing director Rob Waugh said in the company’s announcement to the Australian Securities Exchange.

“We are also encouraged by the lithologies and alteration seen in diamond core at Spare Rib suggesting we could be close to higher grade lead-zinc-silver mineralisation.

“We continue to get significant encouragement from our work at Menninnie and look forward to continuing to define and drill test high quality targets.”

Musgrave indicated further detailed infill geochemistry and a detailed gravity survey will be a priority at Frakes, Spare Rib, Sidley, Erebus and Shank to refine targets for further drilling.

This infill geochemical sampling will commence in June.

Email: info@musgraveminerals.com.au

Website: www.musgraveminerals.com.au

Hi Ho, Hi Ho, it’s off to work we go

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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 commences on high-priority targets

White Cliff Minerals (ASX: WCN) has commenced a 1000 to 2000 metre
RC drilling program testing four nickel sulphide targets at the company’s Lake Johnston project.

The drilling program will target four high-priority EM conductors within ultramafic units at the Mt Glasse prospect that have associated nickel-copper-platinum-palladium soil anomalies and are considered by the company to be prospective for nickel sulphide accumulations.

White Cliff secured a $150,000 grant from the Western Australian government to drill Lake Johnston nickel sulphide targets.

“The Mt Glasse conductors represent high quality drill targets in a known nickel producing belt,” White Cliff Minerals managing director Todd Hibberd said.

“The conductors occur in the same ultramafic unit as the Maggie Hays and Emily Anne mines, owned by Norilsk Mines, located 30 kilometres to the north and have supporting nickel, copper and platinum/palladium geochemical anomalies above them.

“The additional $150,000 funding provided by the Government of Western Australia significantly reduces the cost of testing these compelling nickel sulphide targets.

“Initial results from this program are expected to be available in early June.”

Letlhakane drilling program commences

A-Cap Resources (ASX: ACB) has recommenced drilling at the company’s Letlhakane uranium deposit in Botswana.

The company is drilling approximately 5,000 metres of RC and diamond drilling with the intention to further define areas that have been identified as high-grade and to provide data for ongoing feasibility work and resource modelling.

This feasibility work will be completed and incorporated into a mining license application early next year.

A-Cap expects a series of RC and diamond drill holes at a 20m spacing will establish the mining scale variability of the uranium mineralisation, defined by down hole gamma probing and advance these areas to a measured resource classification and support inpit reserve definition work.

Upcoming Drill Program

Gateway Mining (ASX: GML) has commenced a drilling program of approximately 1,400 metres of RC drilling and 400 metres of diamond drilling at the company’s Gidgee project in Western Australia.

The company said it will drill eight targets in the program, all of which have strong surface or shallow sub-surface anomalism corresponding to electromagnetic conductors.

The drilling is targeting both Volcanogenic Massive Sulphide (VMS) copper mineralisation and intrusive related nickel-copper mineralisation.

Drill program commenced at Massigui project

Birimian Gold (ASX: BGS) has commenced the next phase of the company’s exploration campaign at the Massigui gold project in southern Mali.
 
An Aircore (AC) drill rig has arrived on the project and commenced a 5,000m drill program that will follow up initial drilling results at the Viper prospect including: 32 metres at 1.94 grams per tonne gold; 12m at 2.53g/t gold; and 8m at 2.75g/t gold.

Birimian Gold aims to aggressively explore the Massigui project, where it made the discovery of its 100 per cent-owned Ntiola deposit.

The company considers the Ntiola District has excellent potential for further gold discoveries.

Maiden Drilling Campaign Underway

Pacifico Minerals (ASX: PMY) has commenced a diamond drilling campaign over multiple priority targets across the company’s Berrio gold project in Colombia.

Earlier this year, Pacifico field teams completed a detailed underground channel sampling program at Berrio, which defined several high-grade zones of mineralisation.
 
Pacifico has is now drilling a program comprising a minimum 1,500m of HQ core diamond drilling to test the geology and mineralisation beneath the high-grade gold tunnel samples in a minimum of 8 high-grade gold zones.

Drilling started at Lingokoto gold project

Erin Resources (ASX: ERI) has begun a second-phase aircore drilling program at the company’s Lingokoto gold project in Senegal.

The program follows-up initial drilling at Lingokoto carried out in 2013, which returned 6 metres at 51.5 grams per tonne gold and two wide zones of anomalous gold anomalism in weathered bedrock.

The current drilling will scope continuity of bedrock mineralisation and test the surface anomaly, which has now been outlined over a 1.5 kilometre strike length.

Plymouth Minerals receives first Morille drill results

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THE DRILL SERGEANT: Plymouth Minerals (ASX: PLH) has taken receipt of the assay results from its first phase of drilling to be completed at the company’s Morille tungsten-tin project in Spain.

The company said it had completed a total of 3,982 metres, which was extended from an initially planned 3,500 metres in 61 Reverse Circulation (RC) drill holes.

Plymouth said it has been encouraged by the widespread identification of tungsten (scheelite) mineralisation in numerous drill holes throughout the project area having received results for the first 12 holes of the program.

 

Prospect location within the Morille tungsten-tin project. Source: Company announcement

 

The drilling targeted geophysical anomalies in and around the Alegria mine area, near mine extensions and to confirm geology of drilling carried out by previous owners (ADARO) in 1979.

The Alegria mine is one of the three areas tested within the ACMA prospect.

Highlights from the results received so far include:

(DDH M010)
6.25 metres at 0.29 per cent tungsten from 26.75 metres;

(DDH M002)
3.85m at 0.16 per cent tungsten from 17.4m;

(DDH M001)
1.45m at 0.95 per cent tungsten from 19.35m;

(MAC-RC-009)
5m at 0.24 per cent tungsten, including 2m at 0.42 per cent tungsten from 28m; and

(MAC-RC-007)
2m at 0.14 per cent tungsten from 23m.

Plymouth also conducted drilling at the Mundaca and Claudina areas within the ACMA prospect before carrying out further drilling on several areas within the Westside prospect.

All samples from the drilling program have now been despatched for analysis and results are expected to be finalised in four to five weeks.

Plymouth explained it is also conducting additional metallurgical test work, which will continue in tandem with the processing of the drill results.

“Plymouth is very encouraged by the results received to date from our first phase of drilling at the Morille project,” Plymouth Minerals managing director Adrian Byass said in the company’s announcement to the Australian Securities Exchange.

“We are pleased that the tenor of mineralisation is consistent with the expected grades and that scheelite has been intersected in significant amounts of the drilling at all of the specific target locations tested, and is consistent with the project’s Exploration Target.”

To read more about Plymouth Minerals’ Morille tungsten-tin project CLICK HERE

Email: admin@plymouthminerals.com

Website: www.plymouthminerals.com

Impact Minerals identifies undrilled high-grade targets

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THE DRILL SERGEANT: Impact Minerals (ASX: IPT) has completed rock chip assays and soil geochemistry, which has defined four priority areas for follow up work at the Red Hill prospect at the company’s Broken Hill Joint Venture project in New South Wales.

“The results suggest that the host ultramafic intrusive unit at Red Hill, which outcrops over an area of about 500 square metres, has a nickel-rich core and copper-precious metal-rich margins,” Impact Minerals said in its ASX announcement.

“The centre of the unit is marked by nickel-in-soil values greater than 10,000ppb and up to 16,100ppb nickel that is 100 metres wide and 300 metres long.

“This is a priority area for drilling.”

 

Geology and soil and rock chip results from the Red Hill prospect. Source: Company announcement

 

Grab samples taken from outcrops around the Red Hill Shaft returned up to 16g/t platinum, 12.1 g/t palladium, 4.2 per cent nickel, 7.7 per cent copper, 1.3g/t gold and 221g/t silver.

Rock chip samples from a surface excavation located 100m to the south of the shaft returned up to 1g/t platinum, 2.6g/t palladium, 0.9 per cent nickel, 0.8 per cent copper, 1.8g/t gold and 3.3g/t silver.

At Simons Find, rock chip samples returned up to 0.7g/t platinum, 1.7g/t palladium, 0.4 per cent nickel, 0.1 per cent copper, 1.9g/t gold and 6.6g/t silver.

Grab samples from weathered rocks associated with some surface diggings returned up to 22 per cent copper, 0.2 per cent nickel, 0.8g/t gold and 91.1g/t silver.

“These results are very significant when compared to case studies over known nickel-copper-precious metal sulphide deposits elsewhere in the world,” Impact said.

The company indicated follow up mapping and sampling will commence within the next few weeks as detailed modelling of ground and airborne geophysical data is in progress.

Impact said it will use the results of all this work to identify drill targets for a program of RC and possibly diamond drilling due to start in the next Quarter.

Email: info@impactminerals.com.au

Website: info@impactminerals.com.au

Metals of Africa turns trumps in Tanzania

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THE DRILL SERGEANT: Metals of Africa (ASX: MTA) has achieved encouraging results from recently completed reconnaissance exploration programs carried out across the company’s portfolio of base and precious metals projects in Tanzania.

While it has been raining in Mozambique, MTA has taken the opportunity to advance exploration on three of its 100 per cent-owned Tanzanian assets, the Mukombe, Godegode and Tanga projects.

 

General location map of MTA’s six 100 per cent-owned Tanzanian projects. Source: Company announcement

 

The company conducted surface work programs comprising a combination of soil sampling, geological mapping and rock chip sampling, which have returned elevated copper and gold grades.

At the Mukombe project initial reconnaissance fieldwork has returned high-grade copper‐gold rock chip results.

Peak assay results at Mukombe included 2.34 grams per tonne gold, 37.5g/t silver, and 5.39 per cent copper.

MTA has follow‐up work planned for Mukombe including soil sampling and mapping.

At the Godegode project MTA encountered widespread copper-gold mineralisation.

Rock chip sampling returning assays up to 1.03 per cent copper and 0.73g/t gold.

At the Tanga project the company completed 1700 soil samples plus geological reconnaissance, which highlighted elevated gold and copper at the Buhuli Shear Zone.

This structure was traced for 900 metres and is open to the north and south along strike.

MTA identified the structure to warrant further exploration work.

The company said it had identified other prospects within the Tanga project to be prospective for nickel, cobalt, platinum, palladium, and copper-gold.

With the rain easing in Mozambique MTA has now refocused its attention to its Rio Mazoe project, which it indicated will be the company’s core focus for the remainder of the 2014 exploration season.

Email: admin@metalsofafrica.com.au

Website: www.metalsofafrica.com.au

Highfield Resources completes Javier DFS

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THE DRILL SERGEANT: Highfield Resources (HFR: ASX) has received the results of a Preliminary Feasibility Study (PFS) for the company’s 100 per cent-owned Javier potash project in Spain.

An initial high-grade resource of 154 million tonnes at 12.9 per cent potassium oxide has been derived from the JORC Mineral Resource estimate of 268 million tonnes at 11.2 per cent potassium oxide Highfield released earlier this month.

 

Location of Highfield´s Javier-Vipasca, Pintano and Sierra del Perdón projects in Northern Spain. Source: Company announcement

 

The company explained its initial mining focus would target two major sylvinite seams in the project area, which remain relatively thick, ranging in height from 1.77 metres to over three metres.
 
Highfield indicated it has already commenced work on a Definitive Feasibility Study (DFS), with a view to making the project construction ready for early in the 2015 Calendar Year.

Highlights from the study include:

A 20 year initial mine with a production target of 860k tonnes of K60 product per annum;

After tax NPV10 of US$1.06 billion on a headline capex of only US$307.9 million (US$249 million pre-production capex);

After tax, unlevered IRR of 48.4 per cent;

94.5 per cent of physical costs supported by Spanish contractor budget pricing;

Over 80 per cent of capex estimate peer reviewed by Spanish prime contractor IDOM that has actual potash construction experience in Spain; and

Potential upside from current drilling campaign with a 4.5 metre sylvinite intersect recently drilled not included in the mining target estimate.

“The results of the PFS demonstrate the significant project advantages that attach to mine access via a decline; underground conventional mining; flotation circuit processing; First World infrastructure; and close proximity to markets,” Highfield Resources managing director Anthony Hall said in the company’s announcement to the Australian Securities Exchange.

“We are extremely fortunate to have a project that has real advantages across all elements of the value chain from the mine to ultimate customer.

“All elements work together to drive the compelling project economics.

“We are now focussed on making the project construction ready as soon as possible.”

Website: www.highfieldresources.com.au

Hammer defines large IOCG targets

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THE DRILL SERGEANT: Hammer Metals (ASX: HMX) has reported preliminary outcomes of an ongoing geological and geophysical review the company is conducting of the broader mineralisation styles within its Mount Isa project portfolio.

Hammer said the review, in conjunction with ongoing field programs, has so far indicated the emerging prospectivity of a number of large Iron Oxide Copper Gold (IOCG) systems in addition to the company’s Kalman copper-gold-molybdenum-rhenium deposit.

 

Hammer Metals tenement locations Mount Isa. Source: Company announcement

 

The company anticipates these systems will become the focus of future exploration to discover the type of world class IOCG ore bodies such as the Ernest Henry copper-gold deposit near Cloncurry.

The review process has led Hammer to assess various datasets for the Andy’s Hill, Overlander, and Mt Philp trend.

It has also included the Dronfield area, for which Hammer announced a farm-in agreement with Kabiri Resources in late 2013.

Hammer said it considers each of these areas to have significant technical merit for large IOCG deposits.

“The amount of previous exploration work completed to date on each target is preliminary but sufficient to demonstrate their considerable potential,” the company said in its ASX announcement.

“Work will now focus on the collection of additional geochemical and geophysical information, using gravity, magnetic and electrical methods, to advance our understanding of these targets and to enhance drill targeting.”

Hammer has recently completed a 2000 metre RC drilling at Overlander North and Overlander South as well as the Pelican, Serendipity and Python targets south of Kalman.

Samples from the drilling have been submitted to the laboratory and results are pending.

Email: info@hammermetals.com.au

Website: www.hammermetals.com.au

Red Mountain Mining extends Lobo breccia

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THE DRILL SERGEANT: Red Mountain Mining (ASX: RMX) has encountered a thick and high-grade trenching intersection it claims has extended its South West Breccia (SWB) shoot, at the Lobo prospect within the company’s Batangas gold project in the Philippines.

According to Red Mountain the new trenching intersection extends a zone intersected by Trench 27 that was announced in April this year of 5 metres at 7.15 grams per tonne gold.

 

Plan of SWB lode outcrop with trenching intersections and drillhole locations. Source: Company announcement

 

The latest total intersection in Trench 27 returned: 19.4m at 8.24g/t gold including 5.05m at 15.7 g/t gold.

The company said it has additional trenching in progress along strike to the northeast to extend this high-grade zone at surface.

Following results from this surface trenching, Red Mountain indicated a drilling program will be designed to test for immediate depth extensions.

A deeper drill hole (LB114) is currently underway, which Red Mountain explained is testing for extension of the existing high-grade gold resource down plunge of another recent intersection achieved this month LB 110, which returned: 6m at 7.16g/t gold.

“This exceptionally thick and high-grade intersection extends what is already a fantastic, outcropping ore-body,” Red Mountain Mining managing director Jon Dugdale said in the company’s announcement to the Australian Securities Exchange.

“Our current focus is to extend the South West Breccia high-grade resource at surface and at depth.”

Email: info@redmm.com.au

Website: www.redmm.com.au

Ram Resources picks up Fraser Range tenements

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THE DRILL SERGEANT: Ram Resources (ASX: RMR) has moved into the country’s hottest exploration address having acquired an option over three new tenements in the Fraser Range nickel-copper belt of Western Australia.

The new tenements cover 410 square kilometres and located close to Sirius Resources’ (ASX: SIR) Crux anomaly, which has generated promising early exploration results.

Other explorers are also active in the area with recent results from Enterprise Metals (ASX: ENT) and Matsa Resources (ASX: MAT) providing some encouragement.

The new tenements, known as the Fraser Range South project, lie 32 kilometres south and along strike of Ram’s existing Fraser Range project and 65km south of Sirius’ Nova nickel-copper deposit.

 

Location Map. Source: Company announcement

 

A preliminary assessment of the new tenements has highlighted a number of high-priority areas for exploration.

Ram said it intends to implement a geo-chemistry program for nickel exploration, which will include the Fraser Range Fault zone, Fraser Range Complex and 28 VTEM anomalies identified by previous explorers.

Field work has started with geologists in the field and further work including magnetics and soil sampling will take place next quarter.

The company considers the option over the additional 410sqkm of tenements provides it with promising exploration prospects on the southern extension of the Fraser Range Complex and Biranup contact zone.

“This belt is arguably the hottest exploration ground in Australia at the moment and we have a significant land holding on three sides now,” Ram Resources managing director Bill Guy said in the company’s announcement to the Australian Securities Exchange.

“We have an active and ongoing exploration program underway on our tenements, as do many other companies in the Fraser Range.

“This combination means there is enormous opportunity for strong newsflow that could generate positive results for Ram shareholders.”

Email: info@ramresources.com.au

Website: www.ramresources.com.au