Athena Resources Limited (ASX:AHN) ) has received positive preliminary assay results from the Moonborough Intrusion at the Byro Project in Western Australia.
Study works include lithological logging, cross-sectional interpretation, thin section petrology and XRD scanning and assay results.
Highly encouraging copper and PGE results include:
AHRC0100: 6m @ 0.32%Cu from 19m, including 1m @ 0.57%Cu, 191ppb Pd, 30ppb Pt from 22m and 3m @ 0.230g/t Au from 21m including 1m @ 0.317g/t Au from 23m. Within a broad zone of 96m @ 708.4ppm Cu from 0m, including 33m @ 0.157% Cu from 0m 40m @ 105ppb 3PGE (Au, Pt, Pd) from 0m
AHRC0101: 1m @ 0.39%Cu from 58m, including 0.5m @ 0.62% Cu, 0.28g/t Au, 150 ppb Pd, 50ppb Pt from 58.5m in AHRC0101, within a broad zone of 35m @ 555.9ppm Cu from 46m, including 9m @ 0.111% Cu from 55m 71m @ 62ppb 3PGE (Pd, Pt, Au) from 10m Including 20m @ 111.5ppb 3PGE (Pd, Pt, Au) from 55m
AHRC0106: 18m @ 487.95 ppm Cu from 0m 36m @ 61.36 ppb 3PGE (Pd, Pt, Au) from 0m Including 14m @ 95ppb 3PGE (Pd, Pt, Au) from 0m
- The northern gabbro within the Moonborough Intrusion is more extensive than previously mapped. It thickens, plunges and is open to the northwest.
- Xray Diffraction analysis, (XRD), was completed on a small sample of drill cuttings from Moonborough.
XRD results imply the gabbro assemblage contains two phases, a nonmineralized calcic amphibole phase and a mineralised pyroxene gabbro phase. It is interpreted as a result of a series of magma pulses differentiated by variable geochemistry from a deep magma source, similar to the emplacement of economic layered intrusions in similar tectonic environments.
Thin section petrology has confirmed that the disseminated ores within the mineralized pyroxene lens comprise of bornite (Cu), chalcopyrite (Cu), and ilmenite (Ti)
Area 5 Target (Moonborough) Drilling Analysis
Three holes were drilled at Area 5 during the October 2021 campaign, AHRC0100, AHRC0101 and AHRC0106. The holes targeting a weak gravity anomaly coincident with a moderate magnetic signature.
The three holes followed up historic holes AHRC0021 and AHRC0022 drilled in 2010, targeting the origin of a copper carbonate occurrence within the outcropping gabbro unit at Moonborough.
Historical Drilling Analysis (included in cross section interpretation)
These drill holes follow up highly anomalous results from historic drilling from 2010. This program included two RC drill holes which resulted in the following highly anomalous Cu, PGE intersections: AHRC021 48m @ 49.1 ppb 3PGE (Pd, Pt, Au) from 0m (Max Pd 80ppb) 48m @ 344.8 ppm Cu from 0m (Max Cu 620ppm) 20m @ 109.6ppm Ni from 28m AHRC022 84m @ 742ppm Cu from 0m Including 28m @ 0.155% Cu from 0m 84m @ 71.71 ppb 3PGE (Pd, Pt, Au) from 0m Including 20m @ 136.6 ppb 3PGE (Pd, Pt, Au) from 8m
AHRC0100 was stepped out 50m to the northeast of the historic hole AHRC0022. The hole intersected an 81m thick sequence of variable amphibole – pyroxene gabbro from 16m to 97m including a 6m wide zone of oxidized pyroxene chips in the weathered zone from 17m to 22m. Within this zone assays included 6m @ 0.32%Cu from 19m, including 1m @ 0.57%Cu, 0.191g/t Pd, 0.03g/t Pt from 22m, and 3m @ 0.230g/t Au from 21m including 1m @ 0.317g/t Au from 23m. A 6m interval of elevated titanium was uncounted @ 2.05%Ti from 27m.
AHRC0101 was stepped out 140m to the northwest from historic hole AHRC0022. The hole intersected a 119m thick sequence of amphibole – pyroxene gabbro from 11m to 130m including an 11m sequence of pyroxene with elevated disseminated sulphides from 56m to 67m down hole. It is interpreted the pyroxenite unit is bounded within the main amphibole gabbroic unit. Within this zone a 1m interval included assays of 1m @ 0.39%Cu from 58m, including 0.5m @ 0.62% Cu, 0.5m @ 0.28g/t Au, 0.15g/t Pd, 0.05g/t Pt from 58.5m and 6m @ 2.64% Ti from 56m, including 1m @ 3.21% Ti and 4m @ 0.14g/t Pd, 0.014g/t Pt from 56m.
AHRC0106 was stepped out 125m to the northwest from historic hole AHRC0021 The hole intersected a 60m thick sequence of variable amphibole – pyroxene gabbro from 14m to 74m. Although expanding the extent of the gabbro unit here was no significant intersection in this hole.
