Anson Resources Ltd (ASX:ASN, OTCQB:ANSNF) has received drilling approval for the Mary Springs prospects at its Ajana Project in the Mid West region of Western Australia, where it is seeking to identify extensions to the 390,000 tonnes lead JORC mineral resource and associated critical minerals.
With the approval of the three plans of work (POWs) submitted to the Department of Mines, Industry Regulation and Safety (DMIRS), Anson can move ahead with its planned drilling programs at its Mary Springs deposit and at Gallaghers and Mary Springs South.
The planned drilling is targeting high-grade zinc, lead and silver along with the critical minerals gallium, indium, germanium and barium, which had been discovered by previous drilling programs that included VTEM geophysical surveys and soil sampling programs.
Gallium and other critical minerals — germanium, indium and barium — have been demonstrated to be widespread across the Ajana Project area and are known to be concentrated in lead-zinc-copper-silver mineralised areas.
Those previous exploration programs identified numerous prospective targets to re-analyse with the objective of defining multiple zinc-lead-silver mineral resources and critical minerals that can be included in the Mary Springs mining plan.
The interpreted anomalies from historical soil sampling programs and geological mapping programs are being utilised as a basis for follow-up drilling programs for further analysis of critical minerals present at the Ajana Project.
The current mineral resource was originally interpreted for lead only, with zinc, silver, gallium and barium omitted.
If successful, information from the drilling will be incorporated into the proposed development of the Mary Springs deposit to further support the mining of lead and critical minerals.
Anson detailed the focus of the planned shallow drilling program:
Anson has started planning for the exploration programs at the prospects. A drill rig has been arranged while land access and heritage agreements with local owners were signed previously. Now, with the POW approvals, detailed planning of the drilling programs at the prospects can begin when accessibility to drill sites becomes available.
Locations of the approved POWs targeting base metals and critical minerals at Mary Springs.
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