Maximus Resources Ltd (ASX:MXR, OTC:MXRRF) has confirmed the fertility of the regional Spargoville shear zone with results from phase 2 drilling at the Wattle Gold Dam near Kambalda in Western Australia.
The company struck elevated gold up to 1-metre at 8.05 g/t while drilling at a potential structural offset of the high-grade Wattle Dame Gold Mine, on the western side of the Spargoville shear.
Importantly, the drill bit also intersected biotite-amphibole alterations within the rock. Biotite is an important geological signature unique to Wattle Dam – it was used to define and model high-grade gold mineralisation during mining operations and therefore represents a promising indication of gold prospectivity.
Understanding coarse gold geology
“These latest results from the second phase drill program at Wattle Dam build on our initial drill program, confirming the fertility of the western side of the regional Spargoville shear zone, and adds further confidence of a potential structural offset of the Wattle Dam high-grade shoot,” Maximus managing director Tim Wither said.
“Importantly these results strengthen our geological model, narrowing our search area for future drill programs.
“Given what we know about the very coarse gold found within zones of strong biotite alteration, it was essential to ensure representative sampling.
“Initial assay results received showed a high degree of grade variability, indicating the possible presence of coarse gold within broad intervals of strong biotite alteration.
“Coarse gold presents unique challenges due to the irregular distribution of mineralisation in samples, leading to overestimating or underestimating gold content as experienced during historical mining operations at Wattle Dam.
“During underground mining operation at Wattle Dam 89.4% of all assays were less than 5 g/t gold, for a resource that was mined at 14.9 g/t gold, with numerous drill hole intercepts and face sampling lacking any significant gold, but displaying the geological features recognised as being likely to host coarse gold mineralisation.
“To address these challenges, we resubmitted several samples increasing the assay sample sizes with the aim of obtaining a more accurate representation of the gold grade.
“This work has been a critical step for future drill programs at Wattle Dam and benefits upcoming drill programs at the 8500N paleochannel which is known to contain coarse gold.”
Refining drill targets
Several holes intersected broad zones of strong biotite-amphibole alteration with elevated gold mineralisation in this second phase of drilling. Highlight results include:
- 6 metres at 0.26 g/t gold from 90 metres of depth, 6 metres at 1.47 g/t gold from 115 metres of depth and 1-metre at 4.57 g/t gold from 119 metres; and
- 1-metre at 8.15 g/t gold from 228 metres, and 6 metres at 0.12 g/t gold from 248 metres of depth.
Sampling for coarse gold is challenging due to the irregular distribution of mineralisation within the host rock.
Maximus will now undertake a preliminary gold deportment investigation using screen fire assays to better understand the distribution of gold within drilling samples.
MXR’s focus remains on near-term gold production, with plans to move forward infill resource drilling and development studies as the company balances ongoing exploration programs.
The new geological understanding of Wattle Dam’s coarse gold will also arm the company in an upcoming drilling program at the 8500N paleochannel project, which is also expected to host coarse, nuggety gold.
Maximus will return to Wattle Dam at the end of the year, with a third phase drilling program to begin in the fourth quarter of this calendar year, once drilling targets can be refined and selected.