Rumble Resources Limited’s (ASX: RTR) ongoing scoping drill programme at the Earaheedy Project has led to a new Zn-Pb-Ag discovery named Tonka, located only 8km southeast of the Chinook Discovery.
“As predicted, our expanding broad spaced regional scoping drilling is uncovering further mineralisation and potential new large-scale Zn-Pb deposits within this very fertile district,” Managing Director, Shane Sikora, said.
“Like the Chinook Discovery, the exciting new Tonka Discovery has the potential to significantly increase in size from its current 1.7km x 1km footprint, due to its open shallow flat lying orientation, association with a regionally extensive unconformity and is open in all directions.
“To date Rumble’s drilling has intersected and targeted Zn-Pb mineralisation in the shallow unconformity unit. The new developments of intersecting broad (up to 100m) zones of structurally controlled low grade Zn-Pb-Ag mineralisation in the purple shale unit below the unconformity and the recent reporting of high-grade Zn-Pb mineralisation in the underlying Iroquois Carbonate Member by Strickland Metals has highlighted the potential for large scale high-grade Zn-Pb deposits below in the lower formations, yet to be drill tested by Rumble – see Image 4 for target areas (specifically zones 4 & 5).
“The ongoing regional scoping drilling success has emphasised the potential for more discoveries in multiple host units throughout the 45km’s of strike, highlighting we have only started to scratch the surface of unlocking the world class potential of the Earaheedy Project. We look forward to announcing further assay results from the drilling program as they are received over the coming weeks.”
New Tonka Zn-Pb-Ag Sulphide Discovery
The latest drill scoping of the highly prospective unconformity style mineralisation southeast of Chinook has resulted in an exciting new Zn-Pb-Ag discovery at the recently named “Tonka” Prospect.
As a result of this discovery, the 2021 drilling programme has now been expanded to over 50,000m to help define the limits of this new Zn-Pb-Ag zone at Tonka.
The new Tonka Zn-Pb-Ag discovery is located 8km’s southeast of the Chinook Zn-Pb-Ag sulphide discovery and 1.3km’s northwest from the Magazine Prospect – see image 1. The mineralised footprint is 1.7km (strike) by 1km (dip length) and is open in all directions.
Assay results have been received and compiled for the first seventeen (17) drill-holes from three drill lines and a short cross line. Results include:
o 22m @ 4.27% Zn+Pb, 5.40 g/t Ag from 110m (EHRC399),inc 11m @ 5.82% Zn+Pb, 4.35 g/t Ag from 121m, 5m @ 4.47% Zn+Pb, 13.00 g/t Ag from 66m (EHRC260)
o 9m @ 3.38% Zn+Pb, 1.29 g/t Ag from 88m (EHRC261)
o 10m @ 3.93% Zn+Pb, 4.34 g/t Ag from 84m (EHRC262)
o 5m @ 5.03% Zn+Pb, 9.74 g/t Ag from 101m (EHRC263)
o 8m @ 3.13% Zn+Pb, 2.94 g/t Ag from 130m (EHRC265)
At Tonka, an intercept of 22m @ 4.27% Zn+Pb, 5.40g/t Ag from 110mwas reported in hole EHRC399 which lies 500m to the southeast and along strike from main drill traverse – Section AC, whilst drilling 1200m to the northwest of the main section AC intersected 16m @ 1.38% Zn+Pb, 6.39 g/t Ag from 49m in EHRC183
As at Chinook, the sphalerite-galena-pyrite mineralisation at Tonka occurs within a major regional unconformity that is flat northeast dipping and is hosted within a clastic sedimentary unit made up of siltstones and shales, sandstone and marl (termed the Navajoh Unconformity Unit or NUU) which is overlain by the Frere Iron Formation.
In addition, a large fault system trending north-south has been interpreted to occur along the southwest portion of Tonka. Here, broad and significant low-grade Zn – Pb mineralisation has been intersected and is associated with extensive fracturing of a purple siltstone and shale unit that underlies the NUU. The fault system is interpreted to be east side down which indicates the NUU has been eroded to the west with the lower purple shale/siltstone positioned closer to the surface under shallow lake sediments. Recent results include:
- 102m @ 0.5% Zn+Pb from 77m (EHRC257)
- 121m @ 0.54% Zn+Pb from 8m (EHRC292)
The new style of Zn-Pb mineralization with elevated copper is associated with wide zones of small pervasive sulphidic (in primary zone) veinlets within the purple (oxidized) siltstone/shale. The fracturing is multi-directional with the overall trend north-south. Chlorite alteration (potential Zn chlorite – baileychlore) and local ferruginised zones is prevalent throughout the fractured and faulted purple shale/siltstone.
The large fracture zone of Zn-Pb mineralisation hosted in the Purple Shale/Siltstone represents a very significant target with the potential for large-scale structural positions both in the purple shale/siltstone and at depth in the lower Iroquois Carbonate Member (especially towards the base).
For further information please visit: https://rumbleresources.com.au/
