St George Mining Claims Base Metals Discovery

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THE DRILL SERGEANT: St George Mining (ASX: SGQ) declared the discovery of zinc, lead and silver mineralisation from its first drilling campaign at the company’s 100 per cent-owned Ajana project in Western Australia.

St George Mining reported assays results it has interpreted to confirm multiple intersections of near-surface mineralisation across a broad area of the Ajana project tenure.

The discovery intersections are associated with a 25km-long magnetic anomaly that has been named the Perseverant prospect, which St George considers to highlight potential for Ajana to host a large-scale mineral deposit.

Assays for RC drilling at the Perseverant prospect, include:

AJRC002
5m at 1.23 per cent zinc and lead (Zn+Pb), 7.2 grams per tonne silver from 57m, including 1m at 2.06 per cent Zn+Pb, 3.66 g/t Ag from 61m, and 1m at 4.22 per cent Zn + Pb, 1.1 g/t silver from 95m;

AJRC003
1m at 1.83 per cent Zn+Pb, 1.34g/t silver from 99m; and

AJRC004
1m at 2.01 per cent Zn+Pb, 8.81g/t silver from 45m.

“The exciting initial drilling results at Ajana are located in a previously unexplored area, beneath shallow overburden,” St George Mining executive chairman John Prineas said in the company’s ASX announcement.

“It is a blind discovery – a credit to our technical team and their use of modern geophysics and other exploration technologies.

“Our corporate strategy includes identifying high-leverage greenfields opportunities in stable jurisdictions and it is very pleasing to see this strategy deliver immediate success at Ajana.

“It is early days but the signs are there that this discovery could evolve and result in the definition of significant mineralisation.”

 

TO READ THE FULL ANNOUNCEMENT: CLICK HERE

 

Southern Cross Gold Strikes Big Gold Hit

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THE DRILL SERGEANT: Southern Cross Gold (ASX: SXG) rattled the market with the announcement of “the best hole drilled to date” at the company’s 100 per cent-owned Sunday Creek project in Victoria.

Southern Cross Gold reported recent drilling encountered “a spectacularly wide and high-grade intersection of gold-antimony mineralisation”.

The excitement came from drillhole SDDSC077B undertaken at the project’s Rising Sun prospect that intersected:

404.4 metres at 5.6 grams per tonne gold equivalent (AuEq) (5.1g/t gold, 0.3 % antimony) from 374m (uncut).

The hole traversed 13 individual high-grade vein sets, including seven intervals greater 100g/t gold (up to 2,670g/t gold), 20 intervals greater than 15g/t gold and 20 intervals greater than 5 per cent antimony (up to 55.8% Sb).

“This is the best hole drilled at Sunday Creek, with almost three times more contained gold as our previous best hole,” Southern Cross Gold managing director Michael Hudson said in the company’s ASX announcement.

“It is also one of the top drill holes drilled globally by any ASX-listed gold company this year.”

 

TO READ THE FULL ANNOUNCEMENT: CLICK HERE

 

Lithium Energy Hits Lithium in Northern Solaroz Concession

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THE DRILL SERGEANT: Lithium Energy (ASX: LEL) has been busy drilling at the company’s Solaroz lithium brine project in Argentina.

The project is located next to Allkem’s Lithium Facility in the Salar de Olaroz basin, smack bang in the middle of South America’s world renowned ‘Lithium Triangle’.

Lithium Energy latest efforts involve drillhole 7 (SOZDD007), a step-out drillhole from the current initial maiden JORC Inferred Mineral Resource Estimate (MRE) of 3.3 million tonnes of Lithium Carbonate Equivalent (LCE) at Solaroz.

This hole was drilled to test conductive brines LEL had identified via geophysics in what it described as a “relatively large, previously undrilled Northern Block area”.

Assay results have confirmed an initial 24m intersection of lithium-rich brines with 386mg/l lithium (from a depth of 209 to 233 metres) in sandstone in the upper aquifer.

Further brine samples (at 233 to 257 metres and 281 to 305 metres) show increasing densities, with assays for these samples pending.

Lithium Energy stressed the importance of the confirmation of lithium mineralisation at the Payo 1 concession saying it confirms lithium mineralisation in the Northern concession block which has not been drilled to date and was not included in the current MRE at Solaroz.

‘We are extremely pleased to have encountered lithium mineralisation at drillhole 7 In the Payo 1 concession at Solaroz, as this highlights the potential for further expansion of lithium mineralisation at the Solaroz Lithium Project – which already holds a significant and strategic lithium resource,’ Lithium Energy executive chairman William Johnson said in the comapn’s ASX announcement.

“The Payo 1 concession is located north of the main Solaroz concession area and has previously not been drilled.

“Payo 1 was therefore not included in our maiden Mineral Resource Estimate.

“The large size of Payo 1 (1,973 hectares) indicates that the potential now exists for a significant amount of new lithium mineralisation to be delineated here.

“Furthermore, drilling at Payo 1 has now encountered a massive halite layer, which is highly significant.

“Previous drilling by the company at Solaroz indicates that the halite layer typically acts as a ‘cap’ above the company’s primary target Deep Sand Unit, where the highest grades and volumes of lithium are found.

“Encountering this massive halite layer at Payo 1 is a positive indicator for encountering a Deep Sand Unit and further lithium mineralisation at depth in this new very large area.”

 

 

TO READ THE FULL ANNOUNCEMENT: CLICK HERE

 

Burley Minerals Recommences Diamond Drilling at Chubb Lithium Project

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THE DRILL SERGEANT: Burley Minerals (ASX: BUR) is back on the ground having recommenced diamond drilling at the company’s Chubb lithium project in Québec, Canada.

The recommencement of drilling activities follows completion of an Ambient Noise Tomography (ANT) geophysics survey the company had commenced at the beginning of August.

Data from the ANT survey is now being assessed with information to be used to target extensions of known pegmatite dykes and to identify parallel dykes to the east of the mineralised zone.

Burley had commenced its maiden diamond drilling program in April 2023 and had things well underway until wildfires resulted in machinery operation bans.

Drilling recommenced in early July once machinery bans were lifted allowing just under 5,200 metres of diamond drilling to encounter thick lithium-bearing spodumene-pegmatites in holes drilled into the Main Dyke, with widths between 4 to 13m down hole intersected and confirming strong continuity both along strike and at depth.

The assay results from the drilling program completed during July are expected during September.

“Our geologists, drilling contractor and core shed operators responded rapidly and efficiently to complete the drilling and implement the ANT geophysics survey,” Burley Minerals managing director and CEO Stewart McCallion said in the company’s ASX announcement.

“They worked diligently to complete two ANT surveys covering the known Chubb mineralised zone, strike extensions and over the eastern parallel target zone.

“The geophysics survey equipment was pulled from the field last week, and the drill rig was mobilised and has set up on the first hole of the latest 3,000 to 4,000m program.

“It is exciting the team continues to grow and define the spodumene mineralisation in these highly prospective mineral claims, having only completed the acquisition of the Chubb lithium project in February this year in the in the Tier 1 lithium province of Québec, Canada.”

 

TO READ THE FULL ANNOUNCEMENT: CLICK HERE

 

Blackstone Minerals Completes Ta Khoa Nickel Concentrator Pilot Program

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THE DRILL SERGEANT: Blackstone Minerals (ASX: BSX) continues to make progress at the company’s Ta Khoa project in Vietnam.

Blackstone Minerals announced completion of the Ta Khoa Nickel (TKN) plant pilot program along with progress toward completion of a variability testwork program at the existing mine site.

The completion of the TKN pilot program is in addition to Blackstone completing the Ta Khoa Refinery (TKR) pilot program.

Blackstone said the work it has carried out to date has confirmed the baseline flowsheet to treat ore through to concentrate from the nickel mine.

Both pilot and variability testwork programs achieved or exceeded pre-feasibility study (PFS) testwork assumptions.

The company highlighted these as important milestones for the site metallurgy and project team as they should enable consolidation of data and learnings to progress the TKN mine and concentrator definitive feasibility study (DFS).

“Testwork at Ban Phuc is approaching completion and continues to build our understanding of the disseminated sulphide ore body whilst addressing key recommendations arising from independent review of the PFS works,” Blackstone Minerals managing director Scott Williamson said in the company’s ASX announcement.

“The program has been conducted safely at our site facilities and is providing substantial knowledge, training, and understanding for our project and technical teams.

“Importantly, the results to date validate, support and in many areas improve on PFS assumptions and criteria that will underpin our definitive feasibility study.

“Outputs confirm that our project flowsheet will be suitable for processing of Ban Phuc ores to deliver critical feedstock for our downstream refinery, confirming our strategy for developing the Ta Khoa Project, being an integrated mine to pCAM project.”

 

TO READ THE FULL ANNOUNCEMENT: CLICK HERE

 

Alto Metals Announces More Indomitable Gold Results

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THE DRILL SERGEANT: Alto Metals (ASX: AME) reported gold results from the latest RC drilling undertaken at the Indomitable Camp, within the company’s 100 per cent-owned, Sandstone gold project in Western Australia.

Alto Metals has completed a second phase of approximately 5,000m of RC drilling at Indomitable targeting interpreted high-grade structures that had been identified from drilling in late 2022 and testing extensions of the existing mineralisation in primary rock.

Assay results for the final four holes from the second phase of RC drilling at Indomitable all intersected further broad zones of shallow oxide gold mineralisation, including:

SRC961
14 metres at 2.6 grams per tonne gold from 61m, including 2m at 10.6g/t gold from 61m, including 1m at 18.8g/t gold from 62m;

SRC962
11m at 3.4 g/t gold from 57m, including 2m at 12.6g/t gold from 60m and 1m at 19.8g/t gold from 60m;

SRC963
14m at 1.1g/t gold from 60m, including 1m at 5.6g/t gold from 64m; and

SRC964
12m at 1g/t gold from 34m, including 3m at 2.4g/t gold from 41m.

“We are pleased to announce the final assays from this drilling program at Indomitable, which have intersected more shallow oxide gold mineralisation. Importantly, during this overall phase of drilling gold was intersected in multiple shallowly dipping interpreted thrust faults in fresh rock at depth, with higher grades typically observed where these faults intersect the steeper plunging interpreted structures,” Alto Metals managing director Matthew Bowles said in the company’s ASX announcement.

“These results are now being incorporated into our targeting model for follow up drilling.

“In parallel, we are continuing our review of the historic Bull Oak Mine, following the maiden resource estimate released earlier this year, and the potential we see for further resource growth.

“Additionally, our low-cost mapping and multi-element soils is ongoing, along the Edale Shear on the eastern side of the Sandstone Greenstone Belt.”

Alto outlined its upcoming work at Sandstone, with the next phase of exploration either planned or already underway, to include:

• ongoing targeting and prospectivity review of the historic Bull Oak Mine and surrounds with the intention of identifying potential for further resource growth; pending

• a follow up drilling program for structural and lithological purposes at Indomitable, based on the increased geological interpretation and updated targeting model from this most recent drill program. The Company is finalising an application for co-funding of the program under the WA State Govt. Exploration Incentive Scheme (EIS)

• a phased 5,000-10,000m of extensional and resource RC drilling, contemplated for Bull Oak, Indomitable and Vanguard – planned to commence in the coming weeks

• first pass RC drilling at multiple historic gold workings within the Hacks West area for high-grade reef style mineralization as well as regional targets – planned for Q4

• low-cost lithium exploration work is continuing at Sandstone, where are number of prospective targets have already been identified – ongoing

 

TO READ THE FULL ANNOUNCEMENT: CLICK HERE

 

Dreadnought Resources Releases Initial, Independent REE-Nb-P-Ti-Sc Resource at C3

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THE DRILL SERGEANT: Dreadnought Resources relieved market suspense by announcing an independent JORC Code 2012 Inferred Mineral Resource for the C3 carbonite within the Yin Ironstone Complex at the company’s Mangaroon project in Western Australia.

Dreadnought Resources discovered the C1-C5 carbonatites less than 12 months ago and has now released the Inferred Mineral Resource for C3 of 10.84 million tonnes at 1 per cent total rare earth oxides (TREO).

The resource contains a range of critical minerals including rare earths, niobium, phosphate, titanium and scandium (TREO, REE-Nb-P-Ti-Sc)

The initial C3 Resource covers an area of only approx. 600 metres by 550 metres.

Dreadnought declared that with the C1-C5 carbonatites now expanding under wide-spaced, first-pass drilling, it expects the Resource will grow substantially with future drilling.

“Since drilling commenced in June 2022, Dreadnought has delivered its third Resource for the Mangaroon project bringing the total resources to over 30 million tonnes with further Resource updates underway and significant exploration upside with first pass drilling still ongoing,”

“The delivery of the first Resource over the C1-5 Carbonatite Complex also marks the first polymetallic critical metal resource with significant niobium, phosphate, titanium, and scandium included within the Resource.

“Further work will seek to understand the economic potential of the project as we continue to highlight the critical metal endowment of the region.

“We are proud of how much has been achieved in such a short space of time and are looking forward to continuing to build on this later in 2023.”

 

TO READ THE FULL ANNOUNCEMENT: CLICK HERE

 

Strickland Metals Confirms Heritage Survey Commencement

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THE DRILL SERGEANT: Strickland Metals (ASX: STK) is gearing up for a Heritage Survey to be undertaken at the company’s Yandal and Earaheedy projects in Western Australia.

Strickland Metals has received confirmation the surveys can go ahead and are scheduled to commence at the projects on October 9, 2023.

The company explained the survey will seek clearance for areas around Strickland’s Great Western, Rabbit Well and Cowza prospects.

Heritage clearance at Great Western will allow for follow up drilling at what the company considers to be a compelling, large, and entirely untested gold prospect where an IP survey is currently underway.

Clearance will also allow drilling at the Cowza prospect, where Strickland believes it has the potential to replicate earlier success at Millrose.

The survey will also take in the Rabbit Well prospect, where historic drilling detected elevated zinc anomalism in shallow holes coincident with a large gravity feature.

Strickland is of the opinion Rabbit Well has potential to be a much larger and more coherent target than its Iroquois base metal prospect.

Follow up diamond drilling is scheduled to commence immediately after clearance has been received in late October 2023.

 

TO READ THE FULL ANNOUNCEMENT: CLICK HERE

 

Mamba Exploration Encouraged by Results from Initial REE Leaching Testwork

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THE DRILL SERGEANT: Mamba Exploration (ASX: M24) has been carrying out initial metallurgical test work on the company’s Hyden rare earth element (REE) project east of Perth in the Western Australian wheatbelt.

Mamba Exploration submitted samples from Hyden for laboratory analysis in May on completion of a drill program.

Initial metallurgical leach tests from nine samples have returned variable results, including:

Southern area leach tests of mafic derived clays returned recovery rates up to 70.6 per cent total rare earth elements-cerium (TREE-Ce) into solution using simple hydrochloric acid (HCl) leaching.

Initial graphitic clay target zone tests returned variable recovery rates up to 19.3 per cent TREE-Ce into solution using simple HCl leaching.

Northern area samples derived from granite bedrock returned recovery results rates of less than 5 per cent.

“While the metallurgical leach results are variable, from the initial tests it is clear the greenstone hosted mineralisation in the Southern area can be readily leached, with tests showing up to 70.6 per cent recovery into solution with a relatively simple acid leach,” Mamba Exploration non-executive chairman Justin Boylson said in the company’s ASX announcement.

“While the recoverability of the granite and felsic hosted mineralisation is low, additional work is planned to better determine the REE mineralogy to understand the source of the mineralisation and to determine if the material can be beneficiated to allow alternative extraction or upgrading of the REE minerals.”

Mamba Exploration indicated mineralogical testwork is being planned to enable the company to enhance its understanding of the mineralogy of the host material and the associated REE.

Additional testwork is likely to include QEMSCAN, an automated mineralogical analysis technique, manual scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and quantitative X-ray Diffraction (XRD).

The company anticipates these tests to be completed in in the near term, with results released as available.

 

TO READ THE FULL ANNOUNCEMENT: CLICK HERE

 

Metal Hawk Identifies New Lithium Targets at Yarmany

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THE DRILL SERGEANT: Metal Hawk (ASX: MHK) reported identification of new lithium targets along the Ida Fault within the company’s Yarmany lithium and nickel project near Coolgardie in Western Australia.

Metal Hawk noted the targets from a review of historical data it is currently undertaking for the Yarmany lithium and nickel project.

One target to emerge is the Reptile Dam prospect situated at the northern end of the Yarmany project, which Metal Hawk has labelled a priority target area for RC drilling testing for both lithium and nickel sulphide mineralisation.

Historic diamond drilling was carried out at Reptile Dam in 1973-74, with four diamond holes drilled for a total of 2,110 feet (643 metres) designed to test beneath surface gossanous material interpreted to represent highly weathered and potentially mineralised ultramafic rocks.

“We have identified new walk-up lithium targets from historical diamond drilling which we’ll be testing with our first campaign of RC drilling at Yarmany,” Metal Hawk managing director Will Belbin said in the company’s ASX announcement.

“We are in the process of systematically mapping, sampling and prioritising drill targets for lithium and nickel sulphide mineralisation.

“The favourable lithologies present at Reptile Dam are very encouraging and warrant more drilling.”

 

TO READ THE FULL ANNOUNCEMENT: CLICK HERE