Initial assay results from a diamond drilling program by Yandal Resources Ltd (ASX:YRL) across the Quarter Moon Prospect at the Ironstone Well-Barwidgee Gold Project in Western Australia have confirmed multiple high-grade mineralised structures.
Current modelling suggests that the prospect hosts up to nine parallel, narrow, high-grade structures along 800 metres of strike. Critically, mineralisation is open both along strike and at depth.
Diamond drilling builds on RC drilling
The results are from the first three diamond drill holes at the prospect, which is within the Yandal Greenstone Belt and 55 kilometres south of the Jundee Mining Centre operated by Northern Star Resources (ASX:NST).
The Quarter Moon Prospect hosts narrow but high-grade mineralisation within a dolerite unit. The three diamond tails were completed across the prospect following reverse circulation (RC) drilling in June and were designed to confirm the geometry of high-grade mineralisation within fresh rock.
Significant intercepts include:
- 2.8 metres at 5.9 g/t gold from 105 metres, including 0.7 metres at 18.1 g/t from 105.8 metres;
- 2.9 metres at 2.1 g/t from 144 metres, including 0.5 metres at 9.5 g/t from 146.4 metres;
- 1 metre at 6.4 g/t from 169 metres; and
- 0.6 metres at 4.4 g/t from 130 metres; and 0.6 metres at 3.8 g/t from 139 metres.
These diamond drilling results build on the RC results released in July, which include 6 metres at 4.2 g/t gold from 90 metres, including 1 metre at 21.2 g/t.
The results demonstrate that high-grade mineralisation across Quarter Moon is hosted within narrow, regularly spaced shear zones, with shears often hosting narrow laminated veining in the core.
"A great outcome"
Yandal Resources managing director Chris Oorschot said: “Verifying high-grade mineralised structures at depth across Quarter Moon is a great outcome.
“Furthermore, confirming the geometry of the high-grade mineralised structures will enable the team to target future drilling with higher confidence.
“The team will now review the position of these mineralised structures relative to the dolerite host to develop potential targets for the next round of drilling,” Oorschot said.
“It should be noted that dolerite is an important host rock at the Jundee deposit further north in the Yandal belt."
Quarter Moon Prospect collar plan colour-coded by max gold in hole (g/t Au), overlying an aerial magnetic image. Diamond pre-collars and cross-section positions are labelled and the surface projection of the interpreted high-grade structures is plotted.
Looking ahead
Yandal remains well positioned to maintain a high level of exploration throughout 2024 and outlined its priority exploration activities:
- The first phase of aircore drilling across the Caladan and Irulan target area — set to commence next week.
- Results from the New England Granite RC drilling program — expected in the next 4 to 6 weeks.
- Results from the second phase of soil sampling covering the broader Caladan target area — expected in 6-8 weeks.
- Field reconnaissance of soil anomalies across the Ironstone Well-Barwidgee Gold Project, including mapping and rock chip sampling — ongoing.