Yandal Resources Ltd (ASX:YRL) has defined initial mineral resource estimates (MRE) for its HMS Sulphur and Gilmore deposits within the 100%-owned Mt McClure Gold Project in Western Australia, increasing the total gold inventory by 34% to 182,200 ounces at 1.7 g/t.
The gold explorer delivered a maiden MRE for HMS Sulphur that contained a total of 1.01 million tonnes at 1.2 g/t gold for 39,000 ounces at more than 0.5 g/t lower cut-off grade, and a maiden Gilmore MRE containing a total of 134,000 tonnes at 1.7 g/t gold for 7,200 ounces at more than 1 g/t lower cut-off grade.
These initial MREs bring the company’s combined inventory across all wholly-owned projects to 470,200 ounces at 1.4 g/t gold.
The Mt McClure Project covers a total strike length of 17 kilometres and includes several shallow historical open cut pits.
It is 15 kilometres southwest of the historical Bronzewing gold mine and 10 kilometres from the Orelia gold mine, both owned by Northern Star Resources Ltd (ASX:ASX:NST) in the southern Yandal Belt.
“Good starting point”
“We’re pleased to have added a further 46,200 ounces to the Mt McClure mineral resource, increasing the overall project inventory by 34% to 182,200 ounces,” Yandal Resources managing director Tim Kennedy said.
“Importantly, this was added for less than $20 per ounce, demonstrating the potential for low-cost brownfield discoveries across the Mt McClure Gold Project.
“At HMS Sulphur, the MRE is comprised of predominantly oxide ounces in close proximity to the existing Success MRE, and it has growth potential along strike to the south and down dip.
“Having a combined resource inventory of some 182,000 ounces on granted mining leases nearby to haulage infrastructure is a good starting point for the project, and we look forward to progressing other opportunities to increase this further.”
The JORC-compliant MREs were compiled by Andrew Bewsher of BM Geological Services.
Mt McClure tenement plan showing location of HMS Sulphur and Gilmore deposits, major structures and proximity to nearby mines.
Room to grow
The HMS Sulphur MRE has a strike length of 750 metres and extends from near surface to a vertical depth of 170 metres in the south and 110 metres in the north.
The deposit’s host unit continues south below the footwall of the current open cut at the Success deposit.
Mineralisation at HMS Sulphur is open down dip and along strike to the south.
In the coming months, Yandal plans to conduct exploration drilling across both the HMS Sulphur and Success deposits.
In particular, it intends to extend the mineralisation at HMS Sulphur to a nominal vertical depth of 200 metres, carry out additional shallow reverse circulation (RC) drilling to improve the definition of mineralisation within 30 metres of the surface, as well as diamond core drilling to support future resource updates.
Separately, the Gilmore MRE has a strike length of 230 metres, extending from near surface to a vertical depth of 120 metres in the north.
Mineralisation here is open down dip and along strike to the south beyond the limits of the company’s tenement boundary into land held by Northern Star.
Coming up
The company has a number of activities lined up for the final quarter of the year, including follow-up drilling across the New England Granite and Oblique prospects at the Ironstone Well-Barwidgee Project in November following the evaluation of results from recently-completed RC drilling.
It also plans to follow up on priority targets highlighted in the recent independent geological targeting studies at Gordons Gold Project and Ironstone Well-Barwidgee.