Great Boulder Resources Ltd (ASX:GBR) has received further shallow, high-grade gold results from resource definition drilling at Saltbush prospect of the flagship Side Well Gold Project near Meekatharra in Western Australia, which hosts a mineral resource estimate (MRE) of 668,000 ounces at 2.8 g/t gold.
The company has also confirmed gold mineralisation in aircore drilling along strike from historic mine workings at the Side Well South Prospect.
Saltbush potential for strike extension
Great Boulder drilled 15 reverse circulation (RC) holes at the Saltbush prospect for a total of 1,464 metres. The majority of the program was infill drilling to enable an initial mineral resource estimate for Saltbush.
This resource definition drilling has returned several high-grade intersections. These include:
- 8 metres at 7.59 g/t gold from 12 metres, including 5 metres at 10.14 g/t from 12 metres in 24SBRC037;
- 7 metres at 4.10 g/t from 141 metres in 24SBRC028;
- 4 metres at 4.70 g/t from 19 metres, including 2 metres at 8.18 g/t from 20 metres in 24SBRC031; and
- 1 metre at 34.40 g/t from 54 metres within 7 metres at 5.72 g/t from 52 metres in 24SBRC036.
Drilling also confirmed the mineralisation extends to the north beyond the limit of previous drilling.
One hole was also added at the end of the program to test the theory that gold mineralisation plunges to the north beneath the northern-most fence of drilling. Drilling at the north end of the Saltbush has confirmed the plunge extent of mineralisation and the deposit remains open in this direction.
“We’re pleased to see further shallow, high-grade gold in this round of drilling at Saltbush,” Great Boulder managing director Andrew Paterson said.
“More importantly, we’ve confirmed the mineralisation plunges north underneath the northern-most fence of drill holes which means there is potential for a significant extension to the strike length of the Saltbush deposit.”
Recent drill results from the Saltbush deposit.
Side Well South mineralisation confirmed
At Side Well South, the initial phase of aircore drilling has identified gold anomalism along strike from historical workings.
“Our initial holes from first-pass aircore drilling at Side Well South have confirmed gold mineralisation along strike north of the historic Golden Bracelet mine workings, and the aircore rig has now returned to continue this program,” Paterson said.
“We’re looking forward to more results from this area as we continue testing these highly prospective targets.”
First-pass aircore drilling at Side Well South has confirmed gold mineralisation along strike from the historic Golden Bracelet mine workings.
What's ahead?
The company says the drill crew has just completed RC drilling at Mulga Bill North and Mulga Bill, with results expected later in December, and it has now recommenced the aircore program at Side Well South.
It is anticipated that aircore drilling will continue until the Christmas break and then recommence in mid to late January.
GBR has also commenced auger sampling and mapping over the new Wanbanna joint venture tenements at the southern end of Side Well that were added to the project in late September.
A team of geophysical contractors will be on-site in December to extend coverage of GBR’s gravity survey over these new tenements, with results and analysis anticipated during January 2025.
Metallurgical test-work is underway on a range of sample parcels from Mulga Bill to examine gravity gold and cyanide leach recoveries, with results expected in the new year.
The company also advises that the mineral resource update planned for December has been deferred due to scheduling constraints. This will be pushed back into 2025 to allow time for more drilling, enabling areas such as Mulga Bill North and any new discoveries at Side Well South to be included in the next update.