Yandal Resources Ltd (ASX:YRL) has drilled down into fresh rock at the Ironstone Well-Barwidgee Gold Project in Western Australia, exploring the Oblique prospect’s gold anomaly with a 2,574-metre, phase 2 reverse circulation (RC) drilling program.
The company completed 14 holes and three re-entries, targeting a magnetic feature in the prospect’s geology Yandal has interpreted to be gold-prospective due to volcanic alterations, with a true width of 20 to 35 metres.
Greater geological understanding
“Despite challenging drilling conditions, the team and our drilling partners were able to complete a majority of the planned program successfully,” Yandal Resources managing director Tim Kennedy.
“With the increased number of fresh rock intercepts, the company’s geological understanding of the prospect has grown substantially with each completed RC hole.
“The widths and strike extent of the relatively rigid chlorite-magnetite altered unit observed in this phase of drilling is very encouraging.
“We look forward to receiving and interpreting results in the coming weeks.”
Yandal expects to receive the initial results from this drilling campaign between late December 2023 and early January 2024.
Looking ahead
The company has a very active first half of 2024 planned with a number of priority exploration activities:
- Interpretation of results from the November RC drilling program across the Oblique Prospect, expected in late December 2023 and early January 2024. In addition to this, preparations are underway for diamond drilling in early 2024.
- The refinement of exploration targets for follow-up RC drilling across the 4.2-kilometre eastern granite margin of the New England Granite (NEG) Prospect is underway. This will be assisted through EIS co-funding to support the completion of two deep (400-metre) diamond holes across the NEG prospect. Drilling is being scheduled for early in the 2024 field season.
- Preparation for drill testing Quarter Moon just south of Oblique in the Ironstone Well-Barwidgee Gold Project in H1 2024
- Finalisation of exploration targets and drilling strategy across the expanded Gordons Gold Project.
- An interpretation of the orientation soil sampling program results at the Ironstone Well-Barwidgee project, due in early 2024, with field reconnaissance across areas of interest scheduled for early 2024.
- A review of the lithium potential across the Mt McClure and Gordons Project areas will be completed in early 2024.