Aeris Resources Ltd (ASX:AIS) has intersected high-grade polymetallic mineralisation in a resource definition drill program at the Bentley Mine within the Jaguar Operations in Western Australia.
Standout assays from underground drilling at Bacalar lens include:
- 10.3 metres at 1.44% copper, 18.0% zinc, 52 g/t silver and 1.17 g/t gold;
- 9.3 metres at 2.04% copper, 7.56% zinc, 65 g/t silver and 0.74 g/t gold; and
- 2.9 metres at 2.22% copper, 11.5% zinc, 343 g/t silver and 6.57 g/t gold.
- 2.9 metres at 2.22% copper, 11.5% zinc, 343 g/t silver and 6.57 g/t gold;
- 3.9 metres at 2.35% copper, 13.5% zinc, 165 g/t silver and 1.80 g/t gold; and
- 2.6 metres at 1.88% copper, 31.9% zinc, 97 g/t silver and 1.31 g/t gold.
Looking ahead, with the discovery of 36 discrete sulphide lenses to date at the Bentley deposit, there remains significant potential for further resource expansion through additional drilling.
Demonstrates exploration potential
Aeris executive chairman Andre Labuschagne said: “This latest drilling further demonstrates the exploration potential at Bentley and supports our view that the resource will continue to grow.
“The Java Deeps lens is an exciting target for further exploration, with the deposit not closed off and high-grade drill intersections returning zinc grades over 30% and strong precious metal grades.
“Further drilling at the Bacalar lens is continuing to provide high-grade zinc, copper and precious metal intercepts.
“Work is underway by the team at Jaguar to include Bacalar and Java Deeps in the Bentley deposit mineral resource estimate and technical studies will commence to incorporate them into the life-of-mine plan.”
Forward plan
An updated mineral resource incorporating the Bacalar and Java Deeps lens will be completed following receipt of all outstanding assays.
Once a dedicated hanging wall drill drive has been established this will allow for an extensive drilling program targeting upwards of 400 metres below the current mineral resource, looking for extensions to existing lenses (Turbo, Java Deeps) and potential new discoveries, down-plunge and along strike.
As well as additional drilling, work is underway to prepare for the installation of an underground electromagnetic (EM) loop within the mine infrastructure.
This will allow for a much-increased detection range for copper-rich massive sulphide lenses from downhole EM surveys.
These improvements will further improve target generation to help guide future drilling programs.