THE CONFERENCE CALLER: Northern Territory explorer Prodigy Gold – with the help of the NT Geological Survey – started 2021 on the front foot following completion of a 400-metre diamond hole at its wholly-owned Reynolds Range gold-copper project in the Tanami Desert. By Mark Fraser
The drilling was following up on a compelling electromagnetic target at the Scimitar prospect after a moving loop EM (MLEM) survey and detailed mapping identified evidence of copper mineralisation at surface within a three-kilometre-long geochemical anomaly.
Of 127 samples collected in the area during late 2020, 39 returned notable anomalism of up to 7.5 grams per tonne gold, 1,950g/t silver, 19.3% copper and 21.3% lead.
Within the larger 3km anomaly, separate copper-gold and silver-lead zonation was observed, confirming the presence of strong gold and base metal anomalism at Scimitar.
The drill hole, which was co-funded by the NT Government as part of the Resourcing the Territory Initiative, was designed to confirm a base metal association with a 2km long south-west dipping MLEM conductor in the centre of the geological anomaly.
It intersected a package of interbedded sandstones and siltstones with minor black shales and diorite intrusions.
Sulphides, including pyrite, pyrrhotite, sphalerite, galena and minor chalcopyrite, were associated with quartz veining in deformed black shales over several intervals.
The strongest part of the conductor was modelled to start 240m vertically below surface.
Minor sulphide was intersected in the drill hole at the target depth of 350m.
According to Prodigy Gold, the sphalerite and galena in the intersected black shales may be the source of a surface zinc and lead anomaly.
Downhole EM should now confirm whether the sulphidic shales identified in the drilling were the cause of the airborne and MLEM anomalies.
Meanwhile, a stronger zone of EM conductor, sitting some 600m to the hole’s north, remains untested.
A second 500m diamond hole is planned to drill this conductor depending on assay results and the down-hole EM survey.
The source of the high-grade copper and gold soil and rock chip anomaly (1km long) has not, though, been confirmed by the first hole.
Prodigy Gold is currently planning RC drilling closer to these surface anomalies.
Scimitar is along trend from the historic Reward copper deposit which, during its life, enjoyed an average grade of 11% red metal.
It will be the first of several targets to be tested at Reynolds Range over the coming months.
Prodigy Gold managing director Matt Briggs said the second diamond hole 600m to the north would test the strongest zone of the EM conductor, “and we expect to complete this hole at the cessation of the wet season”.
“The initial round of drilling is the first phase of our broader exploration strategy for Reynolds Range, which aims to test several highly prospective targets with favourable structural indicators for hosting gold and base metal mineralisation,” he explained.
“Many of these targets are associated with historical exploration and mine workings, yet have had little exposure to any form of modern exploration, which provides an excellent opportunity for Prodigy.”
Drilling is planned to test other priority targets at Reynolds Range, including follow up work at Scimitar, the Reward copper-gold EM target, Falchion (where past gold intercepts have included 12m at 3.76g/t and 16m at 3.67g/t) as well as the Sabru prospect (17m at 3.93g/t, 26m at 2.73g/t and 24m at 2.59g/t).
Mineralisation was first identified in the area during the early 1900s with over 500 different mineral occurrences and old mines found – including extensive tin fields at Coniston (Reynolds Range), old copper workings, silver-lead-zinc mines and numerous gold occurrences.
A series of shear zones transect the project areas.
These zones, in places, have retrograded the amphibolite facies country rock to greenschist facies.
Here, gold mineralisation consists of sheared and sheeted-quartz vein deposits with the potential for economic ore bodies.
Several occurrences have been identified which include high-grade copper and silver (plus or minus gold) associated with distal lead-zinc occurrences.
The Jervoise deposits (located further east in the Arunta), the Bumblebee discovery (near Kintore in the South Arunta/Warumpi Margin) and the Tennant Creek deposits (situated to the north of the Tenant Creek Inlier) are described as iron oxide-copper-gold targets.
The rocks at Reynolds Range are believed to have similar potential.
Prodigy Gold has a unique mixture of greenfields and brownfields exploration properties in the proven multi-million gold ounce Tanami province.
It will continue prioritising drill targets for its Tanami, North Arunta and Reynolds Range projects, systematically evaluate high potential, early stage targets as well as form joint ventures to expedite further discoveries.
Email: admin@prodigygold.com.au
Web: www.prodigygold.com.au
