Alto Metals Ltd (ASX:AME) is preparing to hunt for gold at deeper depths at the Indomitable Gold Camp within its 100%-owned Sandstone Project in WA to follow up on recent high-grade shallow hits from a reverse circulation campaign.
Concurrently, the exploration company hopes to find lithium within Sandstone after several pegmatite targets on the eastern flank were identified through high-resolution satellite imagery and multi-spectral analysis.
The eastern flank of the Sandstone Project area is also where Rio Tinto Ltd (ASX:RIO) recently secured contiguous tenure to focus on lithium exploration.
Lithium targets and mapped pegmatites at the Sandstone Project and surrounding tenure.
Great potential
The Sandstone Greenstone Belt is highly prospective for lithium and no previous lithium exploration has ever been undertaken at the Sandstone Project.
The lithium pegmatite targets on the eastern flank were identified by consultants Terra Resources Pty Ltd.
Alto geologists have since then conducted initial ground truthing and field mapping, with selected samples from outcropping pegmatites submitted to the laboratory for assay.
Alto is encouraged by the results of this initial reconnaissance and targeting work and intends to commence detailed mapping and soil sampling in prospective areas.
While its focus is firmly on gold exploration, the company is considering various options to maximise shareholder value given the scale of the project as well as early indications of interest from third parties on the lithium potential.
(Left) Large blocky K-feldspar and (right) outcropping pegmatite.
Hoping for more success
On the search for gold at deeper depths, Alto intends to target the orientation of high-grade structures within fresh rock below 200 metres, in preparation for follow-up diamond drilling.
Drilling completed over the last 12 months at Indomitable has extended the oxide gold mineralised footprint to more than 3 kilometres in strike, which remains open in every direction.
Recent significant results included 13.1 g/t gold from 19 metres, including 3 metres at 62.2 g/t gold from 29 metres within a 16-metre intersection; and 16 metres at 7.2 g/t gold from 65 metres, including 4 metres at 24.2 g/t gold from 74 metres.
Importantly, more than 90% of Sandstone’s recently-updated mineral resource estimate (MRE) of 17.6 million tonnes at 1.5 g/t gold for 832,000 ounces are within 150 metres from surface, which means there is potential to grow the scale and prospectivity of the project.
The update MRE included rapid resource growth at Indomitable Camp, with an almost tripling in size to 5.4 million tonnes at 1.2 g/t gold for 210,000 ounces.
Gold-focused with an eye on lithium
Alto managing director Matthew Bowles said: Planning for the next phase of drilling at Indomitable is well underway and intends to follow up on some of the exceptional results recently announced, including 16 metres at 13.1 g/t gold from 19 metres intersected in SRC918.
“Drilling is targeting the orientation of these interpreted high-grade structures within the fresh rock at depth, which has had relatively no drilling below 200 metres depth.
“While our focus remains firmly on gold exploration at the Sandstone Project, our campaign-based exploration programs has allowed us to undertake low-cost regional exploration in parallel, targeting lithium.
“Sandstone has never had any previous exploration focused on lithium and, whilst at an early stage, several targets have been identified, which is encouraging.
“We are now moving to implement follow-up field verification and mapping programs to further define these targets.”