Astral Resources NL’s (ASX: AAR) diamond drilling at Theia deposit demonstrates consistent zones of gold mineralisation on the western flank, with the deposit remaining open at depth at the 100%‐owned Mandilla Gold Project, located approximately 70km south of Kalgoorlie, Western Australia.
The current diamond drilling (DD) campaign is targeting the western flank of the Theia deposit and testing two inferred high‐grade conjugate gold trends.
Assay results have been returned from the first two DD holes completed, with results demonstrating potential for the western flank to deliver material growth in Mineral Resource, and confirming that the Theia deposit remains open at depth with high‐grade gold mineralisation of 0.7m at 80.22g/t Au returned from 447.68 metres down‐hole.
These results, together with both the remainder of the 17‐hole (4,700 metres) diamond drill program and 38,000 metres of drilling completed since the last Mineral Resource Estimate (MRE), provide support for a material increase to the JORC 2012 MRE at Mandilla, which currently stands at 24Mt at 1.0g/t Au for 784koz of contained gold.
With eleven holes now completed, visual observations from the diamond core continue to support the interpretation of two inferred conjugate high‐grade gold trends. The south plunging trend (18°→130°) is now interpreted to be a dominant mineralising orientation, with the north plunging trend (‐25°→310°) potentially sub‐ordinate. Visible gold has been identified in ten of the eleven holes drilled to date.
“MDRCD644 provides important geological context at Theia, confirming the western flank hosts broad zones of relatively high‐grade mineralisation and that gold mineralisation continues at depth, with very high‐grade gold observed at 448 metres down‐hole,” Managing Director Marc Ducler said.
“The hole was orientated towards the south‐east aiming to intersect interpreted cross‐ cutting structures which our geology team identified as a potentially important control on grade distribution.
“With several significant high‐grade gold intersections returned over the length of the hole and the deposit remaining open at depth, the new ideas being developed are enabling us to effectively target significant extensions to the Theia Deposit.
“The diamond drill programme continues to be visually very impressive, with all holes that intersected their intended targets also intersecting visible gold mineralisation.
Processing of the diamond drill core is ongoing, with assays eagerly awaited in the coming weeks.
“The next update to the Mandilla Mineral Resource Estimate is targeted for the December Quarter, with the expected growth in Resources having the potential to position Mandilla as one of the premier undeveloped gold projects in the Eastern Goldfields region of Western Australia.”
For further information please visit: https://astralresources.com.au/
