Stellar Resources Ltd (ASX:SRZ, OTC:SLROF) has a pivotal infill and extensional diamond drilling program underway at the Heemskirk Tin Project in Western Tasmania while also being close to finalising a revised scoping study.
The first of two drill rigs is on site for the planned 24-hole program for approximately 9,500 metres to provide key study inputs for a pre-feasibility study (PFS).
Drilling will focus on the Severn and Queen Hill deposits to upgrade additional resources to the indicated category, extend mineralisation along trend and provide samples for metallurgical test-work.
It will also provide geotechnical and hydrological inputs and a platform for down hole electromagnetic (DHEM) surveys to identify extensional targets.
“A pivotal moment”
Executive chairman Simon Taylor said: "This is a pivotal moment for Stellar Resources as we commence a significant infill and extensional drilling program at our flagship Heemskirk Tin Project, designed to accelerate us through pre-feasibility studies, with the first of two drill rigs now commenced work onsite.
“The primary goal of the program is to make Heemskirk development ready through metallurgical, geotechnical and hydrological workstreams, while also upgrading additional tonnes from the Inferred to the indicated resource category and to provide down hole electromagnetic survey platforms to explore for extensions with which to expand the resource.”
Stellar Resources Heemskirk Tin Project location.
Scoping study update
Concurrently, the company is updating the 2019 Scoping Study to incorporate the 2023 mineral resource estimate (MRE), which amounts to 7.48 million tonnes at 1.04% tin for 77,820 tonnes of contained tin.
The updated scoping study is on track to be released this quarter with work streams to complete a PFS already underway.
Taylor added: "The company is finalising work in updating the 2019 Scoping Study with the recent 2023 MRE and results are expected to bolster the company’s confidence in committing to the aggressive pre-feasibility workplan."
Focus of drilling
Stellar’s new drilling program is focused on upgrading additional resources to the indicated category, in particular at Queen Hill where mining is planned to commence. This is expected to increase confidence in mining and processing plans during the early years of operation.
A number of holes will also test several promising targets along trend with the aim of expanding the high-grade zones of the resource.
Holes around the margin of the deposit will be cased for DHEM providing the opportunity to discover continuations or offsets on mineralised zones around the existing MRE.
The drilling will also provide material for metallurgical test-work to further:
- assess the effectiveness of ore sorting;
- develop ore body variability characteristics to decide on appropriate plant sizing to best process the new MRE;
- increase confidence on processing characteristics during the early planned years of operation; and
- allow assessment of tailings characteristics for design of tailings storage facilities or/and characteristics for backfilling during mining.
This work will also provide geotechnical rock properties and hydrological inputs to enable further detailed mine design development.