Marda Gold project continues good run
THE DRILL SERGEANT: The current drilling program at Southern Cross Goldfields’ Marda gold project in Western Australia continues to deliver with recent in-fill and extensional drilling returning a series of thick, near-surface high-grade intersections at the Python gold deposit.
Southern Cross has received the results for 23 of the 63 holes drilled at Python with highlights including:
– 30 metres at 6.5 grams per tonne gold from 22 metres, including 17 metres at 10.1 grams per tonne gold;
– 19m at 6.9g/t gold from 17m, including 13m at 9.2g/t gold;
– 13m at 5.4g/t gold from 13m, including 7m at 8.7g/t gold;
– 14m at 4.9g/t gold from 30m, including 12m at 5.5g/t gold;
– 23m at 3.2g/t gold from 9m, including 6m at 5.3g/t gold;
– 30m at 3.0g/t gold from 39m, including 4m at 9.3g/t gold; and
– 23m at 3.0g/t gold from 24m, including 11m at 4.9g/t gold.
Results of recent drilling at other Southern Cross Goldfields deposits Golden Orb and Battler have previously been covered by The Roadhouse.
Southern Cross Goldfields described Python to be an integral part of its gold production and consolidation strategy in the region.
The company is currently conducting a feasibility study into the establishment of a 400,000tpa modular gold plant at Marda to treat ore from its Marda and Southern Cross deposits.
Southern Cross Goldfields managing director Glenn Jardine said in the company’s announcement to the Australian Securities Exchange that the Python results demonstrate potential to improve the grade of the deposit and to extend it to the north near surface and at depth.
“The quality of the results that we have seen in recent months at King Brown, Golden Orb, Battler and at the Marda Central deposits is very encouraging, not only for the potential at each of the known deposits but also for the overall exploration potential of the region,” Jardine said.
“There are numerous prospects in the immediate vicinity of Marda that need to be revisited on the basis of what we have seen from the recent drilling programs.
“In addition, there are previously untested targets in prospective host rocks that require further investigation.”
Southern Cross conducted RC and diamond drilling for the feasibility study at the gold deposits in May and June respectively.
The company is still awaiting assay results from drilling completed at several locations including:
– Extensional RC and diamond drilling at Golden Orb and Golden Orb West;
– The remaining RC results from Python and Goldstream;
– Further diamond drilling carried out at several of the gold deposits; and
– RC drilling at Copper Bore, Kim’s Bore and Southern Gossan.
“The results of drilling conducted this year at all deposits have so far enhanced the results achieved in historic drilling and pointed to extensional opportunities at several deposits,” Southern Cross Goldfields said in its announcement.
“Resource updates are now in progress for each of the deposits together with the identification of extensional drilling targets.
“The outcome of the resource updates, pit shell optimisations and revised production targets will be announced later in the current Quarter once these updates have been completed.