Astral Resources NL (ASX:AAR) has intersected 344 gram-metres of gold along the length of diamond drill hole MDRCD751 at Theia deposit within the Mandilla Gold Project in Western Australia, which the company says is one of the best results it has ever seen.
Notably, the majority of the intersections are outside the current mineral resource at Theia, with standout assays including:
- 7 metres at 3.10 g/t gold from 82 metres, including 1-metre at 18.25 g/t from 87 metres;
- 98 metres at 1.15 g/t from 149 metres, including 0.4 metres at 127.95 g/t from 185.6 metres, 1-metre at 11.84 g/t from 199 metres and 1-metre at 12.08 g/t from 205 metres; and
- 15.6 metres at 3.45 g/t from 288.4 metres, including 0.3 metres at 142.2 g/t from 289.4 metres.
Diamond drilling continues to demonstrate the potential for resource growth at Mandilla, with high-grade assays from recent drilling enhancing the current MRE interpretation and demonstrating potential extensions to mineralisation at depth.
Meanwhile, infill and extensional reverse circulation (RC) and DD at Theia also continue to confirm the potential for additional resource growth, with the best results including:
- 2 metres at 21.2 g/t gold from 18 metres, including 1-metre at 41.6 g/t from 18 metres;
- 8 metres at 4.28 g/t from 110 metres, including 1-metre at 26.45 g/t from 115 metres; and
- 8 metres at 2.90 g/t from 124 metres, including 1-metre at 20.85 g/t from 124 metres.
Moving forward, Astral has kicked off an update to the Mandilla mineral resource estimate (MRE), which is expected to be delivered later this quarter.
Exceptional hole by any measure
Astral managing director Marc Ducler said: “MDRCD751 is an exceptional hole by any measure and it’s really exciting to be able to finish the financial year with the program delivering some of the best results we’ve ever seen at Mandilla!
“Stepping out further to the northeast, drilling has continued to increase the extent of known mineralisation, with multiple high-priority targets still remaining to be tested at depth.
“The diamond drilling at the Theia Deposit has targeted gold mineralisation at depth by drilling perpendicular to the interpreted maxima stress field of the mineralisation.
"The final diamond hole in the program has delivered an exceptional 344 gram-metres of gold along the length of the hole, which will both enhance the upcoming MRE upgrade and extend the mineral resource at depth.
“The MRE update is well advanced and we look forward to updating the market as soon as it becomes available.”
Forward program
Astral's additional RC drilling programs remain on track to kick off early in the September quarter at Mandilla and Feysville.
Re-logging of the Mandilla diamond core is also underway, to be followed in August 2023 by a structural review of the potential controls on gold mineralisation.
Once this structural review is completed, a follow-up DD program will be designed to increase the extent of known mineralisation at the Theia deposit, which remains open at depth.
Furthermore, work is continuing as part of the Mandilla scoping study.
Ducler adds: “In parallel, we have multiple work streams for process plant, non-process infrastructure and tailings disposal infrastructure currently progressing for the Mandilla scoping study.
“Detailed mine design and scheduling work will commence on completion of the MRE.
“The scoping study is expected to be delivered in the second half of this calendar year.
“Moreover, we now have a much clearer picture of the potential for the presence of significant mineralisation at depth, with drilling to resume later in the September quarter to unlock this potential.
“Astral continues to advance the high-quality Mandilla Gold Project on multiple fronts and we look forward to demonstrating its potential as a significant standalone gold operation in the Kalgoorlie/Kambalda region of WA.”