Galena Mining Ltd (ASX:G1A) has delivered its first annual mineral resource update for its Abra Base Metals Mine in the Gascoyne region of Western Australia.
Underground diamond drilling, geological mapping and mining and processing activity have all contributed to the update, which brings the Abra resource to 33.4 million tonnes of ore at 7.1% lead and 17 g/t silver (calculated at a 5% lead cut-off grade).
Within that total, 300,000 tonnes of resource (grading 7.3% lead and 32 g/t silver) lies in the measured category, 16.2 million tonnes (grading 7.3% lead and 19 g/t silver) are indicated and 16.9 million tonnes (grading 6.9% lead and 15 g/t silver) are classified as inferred.
Revitalised Abra mineral resource.
Long-term mining remains front and centre
Galena managing director Tony James said the updated resource reflects 12 months of hard work that greatly improved the company’s understanding of the Abra deposit.
“Importantly, it shows no material difference from the April 2021 MRE, and therefore continues to support our long-term mining plans,” he explained.
“The resource update work also confirms that mining and processing grades seen during Abra’s commissioning and ramp-up, which is dominated by mine development, are not representative of the total mineral resource at Abra.
“As mining areas open up, grades through the mill continue to improve, particularly as we move away from the upper northern margin near the Abra Fault,” James concluded.
The latest resource update is built on 163 underground diamond drill holes (covering nearly 26,300 metres) and geology mapping over more than 7,300 metres of underground development, including mining depletion.
Looking ahead, Galena is particularly interested in what could be lead and silver mineralisation within Abra’s Apron Zone, where there’s opportunity to convert inferred tonnes into indicated resources at the mine’s east end.
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