Strickland Metals Ltd (ASX:STK) has identified multiple new areas of elevated copper-lead-zinc anomalism from a soil sampling program west of the Iroquois discovery and Malecite prospect within the Earaheedy Basin of Western Australia.
Notably, copper in soil appears to be an accurate marker of potential feeder structures, which are believed to generate the primary zinc-lead mineralisation discovered at Iroquois
Moving forward, the Iroquois Native Title heritage survey is rescheduled to kick off on October 24, 2022. The survey has been revised to incorporate drill testing of these newly defined base metal anomalies.
“Promising story”
Strickland CEO Andrew Bray said: “The promising story at Iroquois is continuing to develop with the delineation of multiple new targets.
“Regional reconnaissance work and geophysical surveys have occurred in recent months with a view to locating promising areas for follow-up drill testing.
“Very pleasingly, the results of the soil sampling program have defined a number of new areas of elevated copper-in-soil anomalism, which is a key marker for potential feeder structures and the primary zinc-lead mineralisation.
“Importantly, these prospects all appear to be controlled by major basin regional structures and potential cross-cutting fault structures."
Soil sampling program
A total of 2,510 samples, at a spacing of 200 metres (north-south) by 50 metres (east-west), were collected as part of this wider geochemical program.
Preliminary pXRF analysis of these soil samples has successfully highlighted several zones of coherent copper-lead-zinc anomalism that are consistent with the surface geochemical expressions at both Iroquois and Malecite.
Subsequent ground truthing of these anomalies has found that much of this area is under shallow cover.
Bray adds: “The company is of the view these areas could represent new feeder structures for the primary zinc-lead mineralisation.
“The chloritic siltstone unit (the geological unit which sits above the Iroquois Dolomite) has been detected in outcrop on the ground.
“This is very promising as it suggests the system is continuing to the northwest from Iroquois towards the tenement boundary with Rumble Resources Ltd (ASX:RTR).
“The discovery at Iroquois appears to be a Mississippi Valley Type (MVT) zinc-lead style of mineralisation.
“These types of systems typically generate a cluster of deposits, so multiple new prospects related to regional and cross-cutting structures is exactly what we were hoping to define out of this program.”
Heritage surveys
A Native Title heritage survey was scheduled to take place on October 3, however, due to cultural reasons, the survey has been rescheduled for October 24, 2022.
A revised Heritage Notification has been drafted to incorporate the drill testing of these newly defined base metal anomalies.
Bray adds: “The Native Title heritage survey, which was scheduled to commence last week, has now been rescheduled to commence on October 24, 2022.
“The delay was due to a local cultural event.
“The delay, however, has allowed the company to incorporate some of these new areas into the survey.
“The survey will now comprehensively cover the initial Iroquois discovery, the new Malecite prospect as well as two of these new areas of anomalism.
“At the conclusion of the survey, the broader Iroquois project will be ready for substantial drill programs to test the various targets.”