Siren Gold Limited (ASX: SNG) has intersected 5.2m @ 6.3g/t Au from 213m in drilling activities at its Big River project in New Zealand.
The high-grade znoe intersected in hole BR37 comprised of 2.3m of quartz and massive pyrite breccia that averaged 5g/t Au, 21% sulphur and 460ppm antinomy, followed by 2.9m of disseminated acicular arsenopyrite mineralisation that averaged 7.6g/t Au.
The results to date indicate that the A2 shoot is plunging around 55o to the NNE, similar to Shoots 1 to 4. The A2 shoot can now be traced from outcrop to 280m down plunge or 200m below surface.
Mapping has confirmed that the Sunderland Anticline that hosts the Big River mine extends for five km south where it is cut off by younger granite intrusion. The anticline is associated with a three km long arsenic and gold soil anomaly that extends from Golden Hill to a broad zone south of St George.
Background
The project overlays the areas of the historic Big River Mine which produced ~136,000 oz of gold at an average recovered grade of 34g/t between 1880 and 1942. The historic underground mine workings have been modelled in 3D and this, coupled with historic mine reports, shows that four main ore shoots were mined around the Sunderland anticline.
Siren commenced drilling in October 2020 and has drilled 16 holes for a total of 2,743m. The company recommenced drilling in March 2022 with six holes for 1,767m completed to date. Drilling to date has focused on Shoots 4 and A2.
Previous drillhole results that intersected Shoot 4 include BR03 (2m @ 12.1g/t Au), BR04 (4m @ 4.4g/t Au from 128m and 6.6m @ 21.4g/t Au from 136m), BR09 (3m @ 18.5g/t Au from 147m and 4m @ 7.8g/t Au from 158m), BR12 (3m @ 5.4g/t Au from 170m and 3m @ 2.0g/t Au from 205m), BR27 (6m @ 5.1g/t Au), BR34 (5.9m @ 4.1g/t Au) and BR35 (6.3m @ 3.4g/t Au from 374.8m).
Recent Exploration
Siren recommenced drilling in March 2022 with 6 holes for 1,767m completed to date. Initial drilling has focussed on testing the A2 shoot at deeper levels. BR37 intersected 5.2m @ 6.3g/t Au from 213m.
This zone comprised of 2.3m of quartz and massive pyrite breccia that averaged 5g/t Au, 21% sulphur and 460ppm antinomy, followed by 2.9m of disseminated acicular arsenopyrite mineralisation that averaged 7.6g/t Au. BR39 drilled 50m below BR37 and intersected 10m @ 1.2g/t from 271m, including 3m @ 2.5g/t Au from 278m while BR40, drilled a further 50m down plunge, intersected a 16m wide zone of elevated arsenic from 271m with massive sulphide between 280 and 282m,
Results for BR40 are awaited. BR41 was drilled a further 50m to the west between BR37 and BR39 again intersected a 17m wide zone of mineralisation similar to BR40 with results awaited. The results to date indicate that the A2 shoot is plunging around 55o to the NNE, similar to Shoots 1 to 4. The A2 shoot can now be traced from outcrop to 280m down plunge or 200m below surface.
BR42 is now being drilled 50m NW of BR38. Siren has budgeted 7,000m of diamond drilling for 2022, targeting all six shoots down to around 400m.
Mapping has confirmed that the Sunderland Anticline that hosts the Big River mine extends for five km south where it is cut off by younger granite intrusion.
The main reef track that runs through the St George and Big River South mines is parallel and 250m to the west of the anticline hinge and appears to link into the Big River mine. These structures are prime target areas for Big River mine style mineralisation. Soil geochemistry has now been completed for over six km from Big River North to around two km south of St George. The arsenic soil geochemistry shows large anomalies at Big River mine and a three km long anomaly from Golden Hill to south of St George.
The results clearly show that the arsenic anomaly continues strongly to the south until it is cut off by younger granite and extends into a broad zone south of St George into an area that has not been historically mined. This area lies 1.6kms south of the Big River mine that produced 136koz at an average grade of 34.1g/t Au and 4kms east of the historic Blackwater mine that produced 740koz at an average grade of 14.2g/t Au.
Anomalous arsenic also extends for 1.5kms NE of Big River to the contact with overlying Eocene coal measures. Gold soils have been sent to LabWest in Perth, where they are being analysed using the new UltraFine+ soil technique method developed by the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO) and LabWest.
Ultrafine has low detection limits and can potentially detect gold in areas covered by glacial till. The gold results are lagging the arsenic, but results received to date largely mirror the arsenic results.
For further information please visit: https://www.sirengold.com.au/
