Barton Gold Holdings Limited (ASX: BGD) has received promising initial results from ongoing 223 Deposit drilling at the Tunkillia Project in South Australia.
Highlights include: 5m @ 2.69 g/t Au from 243m 3m @ 5.15 g/t Au from 253m; 5m @ 9.00 g/t Au from 339m 1m @ 23.5 g/t Au from 146m; 20m @ 0.88 g/t Au from 257m; 18m @ 0.61 g/t Au from 370m; and 3m @ 4.48 g/t Au from 144m 10m @ 2.52 g/t Au from 275m
“We are very excited to see indications of not only depth extensions, but entirely new gold zones hiding in the ‘shadow’ of the mafic footwall dyke,” MD Alex Scanlon said.
“We are on the right track for potential Resource growth and expect a steady flow of additional assay results in January, February and March.”
Multiple Significant Gold Intersections in Key Target Zones
Barton’s July 2021 drilling confirmed a higher-grade gold zone in the centre of the Tunkillia Project’s 965koz Au 223 Deposit. May 2022 drilling confirmed a ~500m long gold zone at the Area 51 prospect ~3.5km NW of the 223 Deposit.
Each target was identified by combining historical data with new predictive analytics.
In September 2022 Barton commenced a major drilling program targeting depth extensions of the 223 Deposit and the new Area 51 gold zone. Over 90% of the drilling informing the current JORC (2012) Mineral Resource Estimate (MRE) was completed between 1996 and 2008, during which period the USD gold price was mostly below $500/oz.
As a result, depth extensions and regional targets at the 223 Deposit were poorly tested.
Barton has identified multiple target zones for Resource expansion, including multiple potential plunging zones of higher-grade mineralisation.
Drilling is also testing for new zones of mineralisation in the previously untested ‘shadow’ of the dyke(s) at the footwall of mineralisation in the current Mineral Resource model.
Initial assays at the Main Deeps (Central), South Plunge, and Southern Targets support potential extensions of existing block model mineralisation to depth, the identification of broad (20m+ down hole width) new zones of gold mineralisation in previously untested areas below the current block model, and the potential extension to depth of the ‘reasonable prospects’ open pit constraining the current MRE.
Main Deeps (Central) Target
The central ‘Main Deeps’ target underlies a portion of the current MRE model where the base of modelling indicates potential for higher-grade zones plunging to depth in the southerly direction.
High- grade assays validate the existing MRE and offer early support for these high-grade targets.
These include 1m @ 18.1 g/t Au from 270m and 2m @ 2.1 g/t Au from 278m (TKB0057), and 5m @ 2.69 g/t Au from 243m, 3m @ 5.15 g/t Au from 253m and 5m @ 9.00 g/t Au from 339m (TKB0058). Assays from several holes in the Main Deeps (Central) target zone remain pending.
South Plunge Target
‘South Plunge’ assay results indicate high-grade support for the Resource model and a potential new 20m+ thick (down hole) zone of gold mineralisation immediately below the current MRE footwall.
Results include 6m @ 1.05 g/t Au from 148m (TKB0064), 1m @ 5.50 g/t Au from 163m and 5m @ 1.74 g/t Au from 286m (TKB0066), and 1m @ 23.5 g/t Au from 146m, 5m @ 1.07 g/t Au from 204m, 5m @ 1.25 g/t Au from 249m and 20m @ 0.88 g/t Au from 257m (TKB0065).
Southern Target
‘Southern’ target assays indicate potential block model depth extensions and (as with South Plunge) a 20m+ thick (down hole) gold zone in a previously untested area below the current MRE footwall.
Results include 12m @ 1.16 g/t Au from 238m (TKB0070), and 3m @ 4.48 g/t Au from 144m, 2m @ 4.16 g/t Au from 187m, and 10m @ 2.52 g/t Au from 275m (TKB0069), and 1m @ 6.40 g/t Au from 239m, 18m @ 0.61 g/t Au from 370m and 3m @ 1.44 g/t Au from 392m (TKB0068).
For further information please visit: https://bartongold.com.au/
