Brightstar Resources Ltd (ASX:BTR) has received encouraging assays from the remaining 18 holes of its inaugural reverse circulation (RC) program at the Menzies Gold Project in Western Australia.
The new results highlight several high-grade intersections at the Aspacia site and the Link Zone, a potential mining area connecting the Lady Shenton and Lady Harriet sites.
At the Aspacia site, standout assays include:
- 1 metre at 16.16 g/t gold, within 4 metres at 4.79 g/t from 112 metres;
- 1 metre at 6.13 g/t from 89 metres;
- 4 metres at 2.45 g/t from 96 metres, including 1 metre at 6.85 g/t;
- 3 metres at 2.92 g/t from 29 metres, including 1 metre at 6.44 g/t; and
- 2 metres at 4.16 g/t from 35 metres.
- 1 metre at 13.95 g/t gold from 45 metres;
- 4 metres at 3.21 g/t from 40 metres;
- 3 metres at 4.29 g/t from 45 metres; and
- 4 metres at 1.99 g/t from 54 metres.
Two compelling areas for further testing
Brightstar managing director Alex Rovira said: “We are pleased to receive the final assays from the Menzies Gold Project RC program, which tested and confirmed our understanding of certain mineralised systems at Menzies.
“Both targets in Aspacia and the Link Zone represent two compelling areas for further testing, with Aspacia representing high-grade ‘Menzies style’ mineralisation around the historic underground mine, and the Link Zone presenting a great opportunity to explore for shallow oxide material which would be ideal for open pit mining scenarios with shallow, broader medium grade intercepts conducive to open pit mining methods.
“Drilling results at Aspacia have confirmed our geological model and pleasingly increased the known strike and depth extents beyond the historic high-grade underground workings which were historically mined at +30 g/t gold.
“It is encouraging to see the consistency of the gold-bearing structures and intercepts where they were modelled to be (economic mineralisation of +2.0 g/t gold recorded in 18 of 19 holes), especially given the drilling was extensional drilling testing conceptual locations of lode positions at depth and along strike.
“The presence of multiple lodes in close proximity to each other and the high grades provide a compelling reason to continue to drill Aspacia and advance towards a potential delineation of a high-grade mineral resource estimate.”
Geology map, historical UG workings and 2023 BTR drilling.
Forward plan
With the increased geological understanding brought by these drill programs, Brightstar’s geology team has begun further planning for RC programs at Aspacia and the Link Zone with follow-up drilling to be completed this quarter
In parallel with the RC programs, Brightstar is planning diamond drilling programs in the December quarter which will provide advanced knowledge for geotechnical, metallurgical and geological information for feasibility study purposes.
These diamond drilling programs will be guided by pit shells and underground optimisation shapes being developed as part of the scoping study due for release by the end of August.
In addition, Brightstar will continue to conduct further exploration along the Menzies Northern Trend to target gold mineralisation along the ~7-kilometre-long Menzies Shear Zone between Lady Irene and Selkirk along with greenfields exploration in the recently acquired Ardea tenements.
At Laverton, the company is also looking to commence early-stage aircore drilling at the Cork Tree Well North project along with other regional greenfield targets.
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