Eastern Metals Ltd (ASX:EMS) has started a detailed gravity survey at the Browns Reef base and precious metals project in western NSW aimed at identifying other potential mineralised areas to complement the Evergreen Lode discovery.
The survey is targeting the Prestons Formation north of the Evergreen Lode, which remains open along strike and at depth, and potentially in other structures to the west of the discovery.
Gravity data from a 2002 survey shows very clear major structures with obvious association with the Preston Formation, which hosts the mineralisation at Browns Reef.
Existing gravity anomalies are coincident with the Evergreen Lode discovery and Browns Reef South High-Grade Target (NYSE:TGT) Zone.
Assist in effective targeting
Managing director and CEO Wayne Rossiter said: “Browns Reef is interpreted as a syncline of over 9 kilometres in length with the bulk of previous exploration in a limited 2.7-kilometre zone on the eastern flank of the syncline.
"We have already made the Evergreen Lode discovery in our maiden drilling program which remains open along strike and at depth.
"This low capital-intensive gravity survey will assist us in the effective targeting of future drilling not just on the Evergreen Lode but could lead to identification of other areas of mineralisation to the north and west of the Evergreen Lode within this highly prospective mineralised system.”
About Browns Reef
Browns Reef lies 5 kilometres west of the town of Lake Cargelligo in an area utilised for agricultural purposes, including grazing and cropping. The known deposit at Browns Reef occupies a small part of the tenement.
Most of the deeper drilling to date has been confined to a zone about 2.7-kilometres-long in the central to southern part of the tenement and is on the eastern flank of the interpreted 9-kilometre-long synclinal structure.
Long section of Browns Reef deposit previously drilled which identifies the Browns Reef North High-Grade Target Zone, now known as Evergreen Lode, and the Browns Reef South High-Grade Target Zone.
High-grade zones
Two high-grade zones have been identified by Eastern Metals for further and more detailed follow-up drilling.
The northern-most of these zones, formerly known as the Northern High-Grade Zone and now as the Evergreen Zone, is centred near the historic hole BRD013 drilled by Kidman Resources, which returned 7 metres averaging 5.5% zinc, 2.3% lead, 0.5% copper, 20.2 g/t silver and 0.5 g/t gold.
This is the area that was tested by the company’s recent drilling program and where the Evergreen Lode was discovered.
The Evergreen Lode has now been identified over a strike length of more than 150 metres and vertical depth of 300 metres and remains open along strike in both directions as well as at depth.
Similar structure
Regional-scale wide-spaced gravity data studied by EMS suggests a strong possibility that a similar structural feature exists on the western side of the interpreted syncline but is not covered by a detailed gravity survey.
The objective of the company’s new gravity survey is to obtain more closely spaced high-quality gravity data that will extend the existing detailed gravity coverage to the north and to the west of the Evergreen Lode discovery and which will assist in targeting future drilling programs in these areas.