Alto Metals Ltd (ASX:AME) has intersected further broad zones of shallow high-grade oxide gold mineralisation in all four remaining reverse circulation (RC) drill holes at the Indomitable Camp, within the 100%-owned Sandstone Gold Project in Western Australia.
Alto recently completed a second phase of RC drilling of around 5,000 metres at Indomitable where it was targeting interpreted high-grade structures identified from drilling in late 2022 and testing extensions of the existing mineralisation in primary rock.
The latest assay results for the remaining four holes from this second phase of RC drilling have each intersected further broad zones of shallow oxide gold mineralisation. A total of 856 metres was drilled across the four holes, at an average downhole depth of 214 metres.
High-grade results
The assays included:
- 14 metres at 2.6 g/t gold from 61 metres, including 2 metres at 10.6 g/t that included 1 metre at 18.8 g/t;
- 11 metres at 3.4 g/t from 57 metres, including 2 metres at 12.6 g/t and 1 metre at 19.8 g/t;
- 14 metres at 1.1 g/t from 60 metres, including 1 metre at 5.6 g/t; and
- 12 metres at 1.0 g/t from 34 metres, including 3 metres at 2.4 g/t.
This program has defined mineralisation over 3.5 kilometres of strike that remains open in all directions. Management says that the extent of the shallow oxide mineralisation indicates a potentially much larger gold system at depth.
The latest results are now being incorporated into the targeting model for planned diamond drilling at Indomitable.
Follow-up plans
Alto managing director Matthew Bowles said: “We are pleased to announce the final assays from this drilling program at Indomitable, which have intersected more shallow oxide gold mineralisation.
"Importantly, during this overall phase of drilling gold was intersected in multiple shallowly dipping interpreted thrust faults in fresh rock at depth, with higher grades typically observed where these faults intersect the steeper plunging interpreted structures. These results are now being incorporated into our targeting model for follow-up drilling.
“In parallel, we are continuing our review of the historic Bull Oak Mine, following the maiden resource estimate released earlier this year, and the potential we see for further resource growth.
"Additionally, our low-cost mapping and multi-element soils are ongoing, along the Edale Shear on the eastern side of the Sandstone Greenstone Belt.”
Next phase exploration at Sandstone
The Indomitable Camp, which is currently defined over a strike length of more than 3 kilometres, sits within a 20-kilometre northwest-southeast trending gold corridor that also hosts the Bull Oak, Vanguard and Havilah deposits within the ‘Alpha Domain’.
The next phase of exploration at Sandstone, either planned or already underway, includes a number of activities, including:
- an ongoing targeting and prospectivity review of the historic Bull Oak Mine and surrounds with the intention of identifying potential for further resource growth;
- 5,000-10,000 metres of phased extensional and resource RC drilling for Bull Oak, Indomitable and Vanguard is expected to commence in the coming weeks;
- a follow-up drilling program for structural and lithological purposes at Indomitable based on the increased geological interpretation and updated targeting model from this most recent drill program. Alto is finalising an application for co-funding of the program under the WA State Government’s Exploration Incentive Scheme (EIS);
- first-pass RC drilling at multiple historic gold workings within the Hacks West area for high-grade reef-style mineralisation as well as regional targets is planned for the fourth quarter; and
- ongoing low-cost lithium exploration work at Sandstone.