Alicanto Minerals Ltd (ASX:AQI) has delivered high-grade silver of up to 1,326 g/t in the re-assaying of historical drill core from its Sala Zinc-Silver-Lead Project, highlighting the potential for more resource growth at the project already ranked as the largest active undeveloped polymetallic base metals deposit in Sweden.
Results from the recovery, relogging and resampling of the historical cores from the Avesta Jernverk era indicate the presence of a significant mineralisation footprint 600 metres north of Sala’s Prince Lode, near the historic Bronäs mine.
This area is now a high-priority target for expanding Prince’s resource to the north, which in turn, will add to Sala’s inferred mineral resource estimate of 9.7 million tonnes at 4.5% zinc equivalent, containing more than 311,000 tonnes of zinc, 15 million ounces of silver and 44,000 tonnes of lead, reported at a 2.5% zinc equivalent cut-off.
Some of the highlights from the re-assaying, which are all outside the existing inferred mineral resource, include:
- Oscarsorten-4: 1.1 metres at 1,326 g/t silver, 0.8% zinc and 6.6% lead;
- Bergenstiernas 63-23: 2.0 metres at 104 g/t silver, 14.8% zinc and 1.5% lead (possibly Prince-style mineralisation); and
- Bellandersort 62-10: 1.3 metres at 499 g/t silver, 0.7% zinc and 2.6% lead, including 2.6 metres at 209 g/t silver, 4.3% zinc and 2.0% lead; and 2.8 metres at 183 g/t silver, 3.2% zinc and 1.6% lead.
New discovery
Separately, a recently-concluded diamond drilling program intersected multiple zones of mineralisation 575 metres west of the Prince Lode.
Assay results from two drill holes at the newly-discovered Finntorpet target include:
- SAL22-38: 2.9 metres at 42 g/t silver and 0.9% lead from 266.7 metres; and
- SAL22-39: 7.5 metres at 31 g/t silver and 0.6% lead from 14.7 metres; 5.6 metres at 39 g/t silver and 1.3% lead from 111.1 metres; 1.9 metres at 65 g/t silver and 1.1% lead from 121.1 metres; and 1.2 metres at 87 g/t silver and 1.1% zinc from 495.9 metres.
Follow-up geophysical downhole IP surveys have been completed and results are currently being processed.
As well, two diamond drill holes in the southern extension of the Prince load have intersected significant mineralisation outside the current mineral resource, including 3.8 metres at 259 g/t silver, 0.2% zinc and 8.6% lead.
Plan view geology map over the Sala Silver-Zinc Project.
Potential to expand
“The most recent drill program at Sala has been focused on identifying more of the high-grade silver and zinc which drove the success of the original Sala mine which produced over 200 million ounces of silver at an average grade of 1,244 g/t silver and up to 7,000 g/t silver,” Alicanto managing director Rob Sennitt said.
“These results continue to support our belief that we will be able to extend the current resource.
“They also highlight the potential to enhance the resource through the presence of high-grade silver which would ultimately create significant value for Alicanto shareholders.”
Read more on Proactive Investors AU
