Santana Minerals Limited (ASX: SMI) has obtained further positive results from the wholly-owned Bendigo-Ophir Project in New Zealand.
“MDD120 has expanded the high-grade zone to the west in the southern part of the RAS deposit, whilst MDD117R has combined with an earlier result from MDD031 to establish a new high-grade contour towards the north. These are exciting results that underscore the work currently underway for the Scoping Study,” General Manager NZ, Damian Spring, said.
The Project area contains 2.9Moz of gold in the new February 2023 mineral resource estimate (MRE) in four Rise and Shine Shear Zone (RSSZ) deposits which remain open down-plunge at depth. The MRE includes a maiden indicated resource of 0.3Moz at 4.3g/t Au of gold (with top-cut and 0.5g/t Au lower cut-off) at the RAS deposit. Drilling is continuing to expand resource potential with 19,647m drilled since the completion of the Feb 2023 MRE.
Latest Drill Assay Results from RAS
Assays have been received for three RAS drillholes from infill drilling at RAS. The holes lie within the Inferred Resource envelope outside the current Indicated Resource.
The most significant of these containing >10m.g/t Au (length x grade or MU) are summarized below:
• Section N5017300
• MDD120 – Mineralization was intersected over 113m from 145.7m including:
▪ 5.3m @2.0 g/t from 145.7m
▪ 17.0m @4.2 g/t from 177m (including 1m @10.2 g/t at 177m and 1m @18.2 g/t at 182m,
▪ 15.0m at 1.4g/t from 198m
▪ 4.0m@3.8g/t from 214m
The average grade over the 41m from 177m to 218m was 2.6g/t Au.
▪ Section N5017540
• MDD140 – Mineralization was intersected over 27m from 207m including:
▪ 6m @5.5g/t from 207m (including 1m @28.4g/t from 209m).
• Section N5017960
• MDD117R – Mineralization was intersected over 37.6m from 262.4m including:
▪ 15.6m @7.6g/t from 262.4m (including 1m @24.5g/t at 264m, 1m @11.6g/t at 265m and 1m @65.6g/t at 277m
These assay results have expanded the 100-MU contour to the west around MDD120 (147MU) and has created a new 100-MU contour further north around MDD117R extending to MDD031 (100MU) intercept.
The final stage of the Phase 5 metallurgical testing is underway with mineralogy analysis of gravity concentrates to identify the residual free gold component.
An initial review of the available data has been completed as part of the Scoping Study. Further work will commence once the updated MRE is completed.
For further information please visit: https://santanaminerals.com/
