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 Resumes at the Acra gold project

Pioneer Resources (ASX: PIO) has resumed drilling at the company’s 100 per cent-held Acra gold project, north east of Kalgoorlie in Western Australia.

This round of drilling will comprise up to 15 reverse circulation or diamond core holes completed at the Kalpini South prospect, which is centrally located within the overall Acra project. Results are expected in May 2014.

Drill holes are designed to extend upon gold intersections announced during 2013 and to test a 200m strike length of the targeted structure.

“The company continues to maintain a sound financial position with current cash reserves of approximately $2.3 million, plus the final instalment, being $1.1 million from the sale of the Mt Jewell project, due on 6 March 2015,” Pioneer Resources managing director David Crook said.

“This has enabled us to plan a series of targeted explorations programs throughout the 2014 field season commencing at Kalpini South, and we look forward to providing details on the progress of these programs in due course.”

Drilling commenced on Karga base metals prospect

Canyon Resources (ASX: CAY) has commenced Reverse Circulation (RC) drilling at the Karga prospect on the company’s Taparko North project in Burkina Faso to follow up coincident multi-element soil and ground Electro Magnetic EM targets.

Canyon said the targets suggest there is potential for VMS (Volcanogenic Massive Sulphide) style of copper-zinc mineralisation.

Geophysical interpretation and modelling of ground EM survey results have highlighted a potential link between moderate to strong bedrock anomalism and adjacent anomalous copper-zinc geochemical targets Canyon identified from previous auger soil geochemistry work.

“Canyon engaged a consultant to review the results from previously completed auger geochem and a follow up ground EM survey,” Canyon Resources managing director Phillip Gallagher said.

“The review identified several targets including the high priority, stronger, bedrock sourced KE1 and KE2 anomalies that warrant further testing with an RC drilling program.

“The RC drilling program is a cost effective program that will allow us to test the anomalies and quickly gain an understanding of the potential of the targets to host base metal mineralisation.”

Rig secured for Yolla gas field drilling program

Origin Energy (ASX: ORG), as operator of the BassGas Joint Venture, announced Seadrill Australia has been contracted to provide the drilling rig for the project’s upcoming work program in Bass Strait’s Yolla gas field.

The West Telesto drilling rig is expected to be mobilised during the 2014/15 Australian summer to drill the Yolla-5 and Yolla-6 wells as part of the Yolla Mid Life Enhancement project’s second stage.

The West Telesto is a three-leg jack-up rig that will cantilever over the Yolla platform during the drilling campaign.

The drilling of Yolla-5 and Yolla-6, along with the installation of associated flow lines and other works, will support the maintenance of gas production from the Yolla field.

BassGas Joint Venture:
Origin Energy Limited (Operator)*: 42.50 per cent
AWE Limited (through subsidiaries): 46.25 per cent
Toyota Tsusho Gas E&P Trefoil Pty Ltd: 11.25 per cent

Drilling commences at Morille

Plymouth Minerals (ASX: PLH) has commenced its planned exploration program at the Morille tungsten-tin project in Spain.

Drilling of high priority targets covering the extensions of mineralisation at Alegria mine, Claudina and Mundaca (ACMA prospect) and Westside prospects will be undertaken.

The majority of drill holes will be vertical and sub-100 metres in depth.
 
The program is designed to test for extensions of mineralisation from known historic mining operations as well as prospective geological corridors interpreted from results of recent geophysical surveys.

Native Title mining agreement signed

GB Energy (ASX: GBX) has executed a Native Title Mining Agreement(NTMA) for Exploration with the Arabana Aboriginal Corporation RNTBC.

The NTMA covers both GB Energy’s Stuart Shelf copper-gold-uranium project (EL 5231 and EL 5255) and Mount Denison uranium project (EL5302).

“The Native Title Mining Agreement for Exploration with the Arabana People is an important milestone in our South Australian exploration program,” GB Energy executive director Graeme Kirke said.

“I would like to thank the Directors of the Arabana Aboriginal Corporation for receiving us and I look forward to a cooperative relationship.”

 

Native title access to Flagship WA gold project

ARUMA Resources (ASX: AAJ) has negotiated Native Title access to its flagship Glandore gold project, 40 kilometres east of Kalgoorlie in the West Australian goldfields, allowing the company to commence exploration drilling after a three-year delay.

The resolution comes after the Goldfields Land and Sea Council (GLSC) and the Central East Native Title Group (CEG) conducted a heritage survey of the Glandore area, with Aruma receiving provisional approval from those parties to conduct a 3000 metre aircore drilling program at the project.

Aruma Resources managing director Peter Schwann said he was pleased that the Company, the GLSC and the CEG had achieved such a positive outcome, particularly after previous negotiations had failed.

“This is good news for Aruma and its shareholders, and good news for the CEG Claimants, who will share in any success we have under Deferred Production Agreements signed two years ago,” Schwann said.

THE DRILL SERGEANT: Cobre Montana (ASX: CXB) has finalised all of the commercial requirements to procure 55 per cent of the Piedrecillas project in Chile.

Cobre Montana closed the deal by making statutory payments required to maintain the exploration tenure, and the issue of approx. 3.53 million ordinary fully paid shares in the company.

The company requires a shareholders’ agreement subsequent to commercial completion and such agreement is in preparation.

The Piedrecillas project is located approximately 180 kilometres south of the Chilean capital, Santiago and consists of sixteen exploration concessions covering over 2000 hectares.

 

Piedrecillas project location plan. Source: Company announcement

 

According to Cobre Montana the Piedrecillas project exhibits similar characteristics to that of manto-style (tabular) deposits found elsewhere in the region.

The company explained Manto-style mineralisation can host significant copper deposits, such as the El Soldado deposit (200 million tonnes at 1.35 per cent copper) operated by Anglo American.

“This announcement heralds Cobre Montana’s extended focus on manto style copper/precious metals deposits in Chile, by way of acquiring a direct interest in the Piedrecillas deposit,” Cobre Montana managing director Adrian Griffin told The Resources Roadhouse.

“The project is a large land holding by Chilean standards, centred on three known occurrences of copper/silver mineralization with prior mining, thought to date back to the 1940s.

“Strong mineralisation is observed at surface, and within small open pits, and shallow underground workings.

“We believe the Piedrecillas project offers great potential as an advanced exploration target.”

Email: info@cobremontana.com.au

Website: www.cobremontana.com.au

THE DRILL SERGEANT: Marmota Energy (ASX: MEU) has claimed a new South Australian copper discovery after receiving high-grade copper assay results from the first holes drilled on the company’s wholly-owned West Melton copper-gold project on Yorke Peninsula.

Marmota said the program was testing a copper and gold geochemical anomaly it had defined on the project earlier this year.

Assay results have been received from the first four holes of 29 drilled, located in the northern end of a copper and gold in-calcrete geochemical anomaly.

 

Table of significant copper assay results from first four drill holes of Phase 1 at West Melton. Source: Company announcement

The company claims the results represent a new copper discovery in what it has named the Champion prospect, a nod to the historic ‘Champion Load’ located at the nearby Areena copper workings on West Melton.

Grades intercepted in hole WMAC003 include:

10 metres at 1.12 per cent copper from 15 metres; and 15m at 1.29 per cent copper from 29m, for a combined score of 29m at 1.05 per cent copper.

Other intercepts of note include:

18m at 0.61 per cent copper in drill hole WMAC004, intercepted from just below the surface.

“These initial results are of similar tenor to high grade intercepts at other prospects on adjoining tenements,” Marmota Energy said in its ASX announcement.

“The discovery of high-grade copper on the West Melton project is considered a new copper discovery in the region with the nearest previous drilling located four kilometres away.”

“The 29 metre copper intersection in WMAC003 is considered to be highly significant being high-grade commencing at a shallow depth including even higher grade subzones with grades reaching 1.69 per cent copper.

“Assay results from WMAC001, 002 and 004 all intercepted significant grades of copper from just below the surface.

“These results are considered to be commensurate with the best intersections of current and past mineral explorers on the broader Yorke Peninsula region.”

Marmota’s exploration efforts at West Melton are ongoing with further assay results expected to be announced when they are received from the laboratory.

The company anticipates the next batch of results will contain assays from drilling that tested the core zone of the highest copper and gold in-calcrete anomalism.

Marmota will use the results from this Phase 1 program to plan a follow up drilling program at the Champion prospect, along with exploration at other copper in-calcrete targets identified on the West Melton tenement.

Email: info@marmotaenergy.com.au

Website: www.marmotaenergy.com.au

THE DRILL SERGEANT: MGT Resources (ASX: MGS) has received results from Phase Four of the company’s 2013 Summer Hills drilling program.

The Phase Four drilling was conducted at the Dalcouth prospect, comprising 63 RC percussion drill holes and eight RC extensions to existing Phase Three holes, which had indicated three main zones of mineralisation at Dalcouth – the Western, Central and Eastern Zones.

MGT said the Phase Four drilling program was looking to further define these zones and determine the relationship between them.

 

Plan showing drill traces for all holes drilled at Dalcouth and
location of the better intersections from Phase Four drilling. Source:
Company announcement

 

“Phase Four wraps up a successful 2013 Summer Hills drilling program, highlighted by the discovery of tin 200 metres to the northeast of the main body of mineralisation at Dalcouth, as well as a hit in a hole some 165 metres northwest of the main mineralised zone of one metre at 6.73 per cent tin, which is the tin equivalent of around 20 per cent copper,” MGT Resources executive chairman and managing director Jonathan Back said in the company’s announcement to the Australian Securities Exchange.

“Our next step is to include our 2013 results in our resource calculations and deliver a resource update.

“Whilst this work is being completed, our geological team will continue to explore more of our prospects on our Summer Hills mining lease, namely Viking, Summer Hill itself, and a new target called Padstow.

“Planning of the 2014 Summer Hills drilling program is underway as we focus on these targets.”

MGT said the purpose of the program was to expand and upgrade tin resources at Summer Hills in order to provide feed for the Mt Veteran tin processing plant.
 
The company said the results continue to be encouraging for the Dalcouth prospect as they indicate a new area of interest, which it has flagged for follow-up drilling.

Email: info@mgt.net.au

Website: www.mgt.net.au

THE DRILL SERGEANT: Impact Minerals (ASX: IPT) has taken receipt of high-grade rock chip samples with assays of up to 18.2 per cent copper and 58 grams per tonne silver from the company’s 100 per cent-owned Commonwealth project in New South Wales.

Impact claims the results have extended the strike length of the known mineralised zone at the Commonwealth Mine from 600 metres to at least 2,500 metres.

The company said the results have also, for the first time, identified a copper-rich part of the mineralised trend which extends for 1,500m of strike north-west of the Commonwealth Mine and includes a line of workings associated with the dormant Coronation Mine.

 

Commonwealth project: geology, prospects and significant rock
chip assays. Previous exploration focused solely only on 300m of strike
between the Commonwealth Mine and Commonwealth South prospect. Source:
Company announcement

 

“Several near surface weak to moderate electromagnetic conductors which require drill testing have been identified close to this line of workings in a recently completed ground electromagnetic survey,” Impact Minerals said in its ASX announcement.

The company said these results, together with other work it has completed since acquiring the project, have now extended the 300m long mineralised horizon between the Commonwealth Mine and Commonwealth South to at least 2,500m of strike, which remains open and undrilled in both directions.

Impact has recently completed further field work at the Commonwealth project, which involved around 450 soil and rock chip samples having been taken over the area between Commonwealth as well as an IP survey over the Commonwealth Mine.

The company indicated the results of all of this work will be integrated to define further drill targets for drilling in the next Quarter.

Drilling to define an Inferred Resource between Commonwealth Mine and Commonwealth South is also planned.

Email: info@impactminerals.com.au

Website: www.impactminerals.com.au