Multiple Targets Identified
Variscan Mines Limited (ASX:VAR) says news studies have confirmed unmined positive intersections remain available to mine at its San Jose-Novales project in Spain.
Studying the results of a 3D laser survey, integrated with the significant historical dataset of 426 underground drillhole collars has identified the significant upside potential.
Managing Director and CEO, Stewart Dickson, said most striking is the presence of potentially mineralised, unmined material surrounding the stopes in the centre of the San Jose-Novales mine.
He said some outer zones still appear to have mineralisation in-situ, specifically in the southwestern area of the mine, and other areas have potentially mineralised zones along strike extensions. In several areas of the mine outside of the surveyed stopes exist high-grade intersections from historical drilling. These provide drill target areas in addition to seeking extensions of mined stopes on north-south parallel structures.
“The 3D survey provides us with a clear, digital picture of the extent of historical mining activity at the San Jose mine,” Mr Dickson said.
“It does confirm that significant high-grade zinc mineralised intersections from historical drilling campaigns remain unmined, some of which present viable targets for the imminent drilling campaign.
“The 3D survey has significantly improved our geospatial understanding of the mine and enabled us to better execute a high impact underground drilling programme starting shortly.
“Drill testing of these targets seek to establish extensions to existing stopes and discovery of further economic mineralisation.”
The laser survey has produced a highly detailed 3D model of the workings and mine development at the San Jose–Novales Mine; it provides the accurate detail required for an underground drilling programme, aimed at assessing extensions and repetitions of mineralisation;
- Surveyed stopes are in clear N-S parallel elongated orientations with lesser E-W oriented linking stopes;
- The orientation of the existing stopes supports the geological interpretation of parallel N-S
- oriented mineralised structures with E-W linkages, advancing future exploration plans and extensions to existing mine footprint;
- Now that the 3D survey has enabled validation of mined mineralisation, the geological data shows where there are unmined targets and the 3D survey has provided the certainty to these positions to give proposed drill collar and drilling direction targets;
- The 3D underground survey has identified multiple drilling bays and extensive access to existing stopes (drives and ore passes);
- Geospatial information from the survey is critical to plan for a potential restart of operations; saving considerable time and cost for the company; and
Drilling target areas have been identified for upcoming programme, commencing this month.
