Hi Ho, Hi Ho, it’s off to work we go
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 at Skogtrask
Boss Resources (ASX: BOE) has commenced drilling at the company’s Skogtrask nickel-copper project in Northern Sweden.
Boss has received approval from the County Administration Board to initially drill 2 diamond holes totalling approximately 700m.
The drill holes will initially target depth extensions of existing mineralisation which was discovered in 1970’s by the Swedish Geological Survey.
Prior to commencement of drilling, Boss completed a detailed moving loop time domain electromagnetic (TEM) survey to further understand and define orientation of the conductor in 3D and to ensure the greatest chance of success.
Based on the information provided by the TEM survey, Boss has moved the orientation of its second hole to intersect the strongest part of the conductor.
Downhole TEM surveys will be conducted immediately following drilling to define further extensions.
“We are very pleased to be able to move through the definition phases and into the drilling phase in such a quick and problem free manner,” Boss Resources technical director Peter Williams said.
“We are looking very forward to seeing the results of the drilling and the DHTEM program in the next two to four weeks.”
Drilling commences at Cascada
Azure Minerals (ASX: AZS) has commenced a 10 hole, diamond core drilling program at the company’s 100 per cent-owned Cascada copper deposit, part of the Promontorio project located in the state of Chihuahua, Mexico.
The key objectives of the drilling will be to test the westerly and easterly along-strike extensions of the Cascada copper-gold-silver deposit and to finalise data requirements for the maiden Cascada mineral resource estimate.
The program follows up the breccia-hosted high grade gold mineralisation the company previously intersected to the west and south of Cascada, including results of:
42 metres at 2.5 grams per tonne gold (APR-DD-110)
18m at 6.6g/t gold (APR-DD-111)
“I’m pleased to announce that we’re now back drilling at Cascada where previous drilling has outlined a coherent body of copper, gold and silver mineralisation with a high grade core,” Azure Minerals managing director Tony Rovira said.
“I’m also looking forward to undertaking the initial mineral resource estimate for Cascada.
“The presence of gold-rich, hydrothermal breccia-hosted mineralisation is a very exciting development for the project, giving us another deposit-style to explore.
“High grade copper and gold breccia pipes are known to provide a significant proportion of resources at porphyry copper mines throughout Latin America.
“In addition, the recent finalisation of the tenement acquisition process has provided certainty of Azure’s ownership of this very exciting project.
“The company considered this to be vital when moving forward towards mine development and/or joint ventures.”
Drilling program after prioritising new nickel-copper targets
Orion Gold (ASX: ORN) is about to mobilise a drill rig to start aircore drilling at its Fraser Range nickel-copper project in WA after receiving new geochemical and petrology data which extends the high priority area at the Peninsula prospect.
Based on the new data, the company is prioritising work at the Pennor target, located 3km north of the HA2 target, where Orion intersected broad zones of nickel-copper mineralisation in March.
“The results of the review show that Pennor is an extension to this very promising target, with the detailed petrology and geochemical work showing that this is an area that warrants immediate exploration attention,” Orion Gold managing director Errol Smart said.
“We have always held the view that the larger intrusive bodies are stronger targets due to the increased volume of magma which may have carried suspended sulphides – and Pennor is substantially larger than HA2.
“The key finding of this review is that the two targets may represent different chambers of the same magma system.
“This is why the upcoming aircore drill program will also test for potential linking structures between Pennor and HA2, as feeder zones are highly prospective for nickel-copper mineralisation.
“We believe it is imperative that we undertake aircore drilling at the first opportunity both on the Northern HA2 and Southern Pennor areas, and possible linking features, to enable us to vector in on targets for RC and diamond drilling.”