Astral Resources NL (ASX:AAR) has hit wide intersections of high-grade gold at the Theia prospect of the Mandilla Gold Project in Western Australia, having completed three diamond drill holes of six planned.
Importantly, the three diamond drill (DD) holes also demonstrated high gram-metre measurements of gold over their length, the standout being MDRCD828 which held 304 gram-metres of gold.
Gram-metres are a representation of the true thickness of an ore body in metres, given by multiplying the grade in parts per million from the sample point of the load by its length in metres.
The best results are from hole MDRCD828 that returned 304 gram-metres of gold. Intersections include 39 metres at 5.43 g/t gold from 279 metres including 1 metre at 199 g/t from 279.6 metres; and 8 metres at 8.76 g/t from 386 metres including 0.3 metres at 14.6 g/t from 386 metres and 0.3 metres at 211 g/t from 391 metres.
A strong year of progress
“The July 2023 MRE update – which saw the Mandilla resource pass 1.27 million ounces – demonstrated our proven ability to deliver cost-effective resource growth while, importantly, also increasing in the higher confidence indicated mineral resource category,” Astral Resources managing director Marc Ducler said.
“This allowed the Astral team to complete the maiden Mandilla Gold Project scoping study, which outlined an 845,000-ounce production target, with 70% of the potential gold production sourced from the indicated category.
“Complementing the successful MRE update and scoping study outcome, Astral has continued to demonstrate the significant growth potential of the Mandilla Gold Project with further infill and extensional drill programs being successfully completed through the September and December quarters.
“These latest diamond drill results further reinforce the significant upside potential of the project as we continue to enhance our understanding of the complexities of the Mandilla gold deposits.”
Assay sets
Other assay results from the first diamond holes are:
MDRCD829, 147 gram-metres of gold -
- 9 metres at 1.71 g/t gold from 111 metres (previously reported as a reverse circulation or RC pre-collar);
- 5.4 metres at 1.81 g/t from 135 metres including 0.3 metres at 18.5 g/t from 135.7 metres;
- 8 metres at 5.37 g/t from 177 metres including 0.8 metres at 11.4 g/t from 177.5 metres and 1.0 metre at 28.6 g/t from 180 metres; and
- 13.4 metres at 2.87 g/t from 367 metres including 1 metre at 28.9 g/t from 374 metres.
MDRCD827, 100 gram-metres of gold -
- 50 metres at 0.95 g/t gold from 12 metres including 1.0 metre at 10.2 g/t from 49 metres (previously reported as an RC pre-collar);
- 32.6 metres at 0.80 g/t from 306 metres including 0.55 metres at 23.6 g/t from 322 metres; and
- 16.6 metres at 0.83 g/t from 377 metres including 0.3 metres at 15.2 g/t from 390.2 metres.
Anticipating further high-grade gold
“Diamond drilling at Mandilla has a strong history of delivering thick gold intercepts with many greater than 100 gram-metres of gold,” Dulcer continued.
“This latest set of results is no different, with MDRCD827 (100 gram-metres of gold), MDRCD828 (304 gram-metres of gold) and MDRCD829 (147 gram-metres of gold) all exceeding the impressive threshold.
“Significantly, the assay results reported today included 14 instances of visible gold in the drill core when processed.
“By comparison, the three DD-holes pending assays (MDRCD830, MDRCD832 and MDRCD841) included 16 instances of visible gold identified during core processing.
“Similar high-grade results might, therefore, be expected when assay results from these DD-holes are reported in the New Year.”
Holes MDRCD828 and MDRCD829 successfully targeted a deep, sulphide-rich, high-grade shear zone previously penetrated by drill holes MDRCD660, MDRCD735 and MDRCD751.
Astral said these latest results had further confirmed the lateral extent of this feature, with both drill holes intercepting the thick, moderate-grade mineralisation at depth expected at Theia.
Drill hole MDRCD827 also struck a southern extension of the existing Theia deposit at depth, adding to the prospectivity of that target.
Assays for the remaining three diamond drilled holes remain outstanding, but Astral expects to receive them early in the new year.
Kamperman Prospect progress
“In addition to the significant advancements made at Mandilla, the standing of the Kamperman Prospect at Feysville within our project portfolio has also increased and now represents a significant high-grade target,” Ducler emphasised.
“Earlier this year, we reported significant high-grade gold results, with a best result of 4 metres at 95 g/t gold.
“This has been followed up with a three-hole diamond drill program for which assay results are expected in the New Year.
“Further testing of the high-grade potential at Feysville will commence by mid-January with both aircore and RC drilling.”
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