Strickland Metals Ltd (ASX:STK) is keen to get its samples to the laboratory after all four holes drilled to date as part of a five-hole program at Horse Well prospect of the Yandal Gold Project in Western Australia intersected the desired target.
STK is following up solid gold results from a discovery hole at Horse Well's Marwari target with this drilling program, intending to better understand the geology and alterations of the mineralisation.
Greater widths than anticipated
“The company has successfully completed the first four diamond holes from its ongoing drilling at Marwari,” Strickland Metals CEO Andrew Bray said.
“All four holes have intersected the target stratigraphy, albeit over greater widths than initially anticipated.
“Intense alteration, veining and shearing (intercalated banded iron formations [BIF] and intermediate volcaniclastic units) were intersected from 128 metres to 205 metres in MWDD001, with an additional wider and more intense zone intersected across the down-dip extension in MWDD003 from 180 metres to 270 metres.”
Bray says the geology, alteration and veining match with aircore results reported in the original discovery hole of 31 metres at 5.6 g/t gold from 72 metres to the end of the drill hole.
“The same unit has also been intersected 80 metres along strike in MWDD004 from 182 metres to 261 metres, with similar visual observations to MWDD003,” he highlighted.
The company said its magnetic inversion model had been particularly accurate in predicting the targeted geological units, as well as increasing intensity of shearing, veining, sulphide abundance and alteration.
Samples from MWDD001 were delivered to the laboratory over the weekend. The company expects to have submitted samples from all four completed drill holes by the end of November.
Assays needed despite growing evidence
“Structural measurements from the core show the main geological unit is sub-vertical, dipping 81 degrees to the east, meaning the drilling is being undertaken with the correct orientation,” Bray continued.
“The company stresses that these are only visual observations of core and do not constitute assays, and it is not expected that the entirety of the alteration zones will be mineralised.
“There is no way of knowing any gold grades (if any) until assays are received.
“However, given the size of the units intersected down dip from the high-grade discovery hole; the fact that the same unit has now been intersected 80 metres along strike; and the apparent accuracy of the magnetic inversion model, Strickland is of the view that these visual observations warrant reporting.
“Further updates will be provided as soon as they are available.”
In addition to the company’s work at Horse Well, it has also identified a 450-metre-long gold anomaly trend at the Konik prospect.
The aircore rig failed to penetrate fresh rock at Konik, so the company intends to follow up with a deeper-penetrating reverse circulation (RC) drilling rig during a 2024 systematic RC campaign.