Large Geological Reconnaissance Programme Planned
White Rock Minerals Ltd (ASX: WRM) is planning to conduct a new exploration programme at the Last Chance Gold Prospect, located within its 100% owned Red Mountain Project in central Alaska.
Managing Director and CEO, Matt Gill, said field work will commence on 15 June with a team of experienced Alaskan exploration geologists undertaking a comprehensive programme of geological reconnaissance across the entire Last Chance gold anomaly, measuring 15km2 in area.
In conjunction with geological reconnaissance, a team of geologist samplers will undertake detailed soil geochemical sampling over the highly anomalous core area (>100ppb gold) defined by four contiguous first order stream catchments that extend over 3.5km of strike length east-west.
Based on the successful definition of detailed targets from the geological reconnaissance and geochemical sampling, the company is then planning to complete an initial 2,000m program of diamond core drilling commencing by early August.
“White Rock is extremely excited about commencing on-ground works at our large and robust Last Chance Gold Prospect,” Mr Gill said.
“The initial field work of geological reconnaissance and detailed geochemical sampling is designed to rapidly define targets for drill testing. We are taking this gold anomaly from discovery in January this year to planned drilling within eight months, which is a phenomenal rate of progress.
“The Tintina Gold belt of Central Alaska hosts a diverse range of world class gold deposits including Donlin Creek (45 Moz Au), Pogo (10 Moz Au) and Fort Knox (13.5 Moz Au).
“Each of them different, but a compelling reward for dedicated greenfields exploration. The intense initial geology and geochemistry exploration focus will provide rapid data with which to build knowledge about the gold system at Last Chance and how best to design a drill program to achieve results.
“Our recent capital raising has attracted some keen interest in our Last Chance exploration story from prominent resources investors and we look forward to announcing results as we progress through the 2020 field season.
The Last Chance Gold Prospect is a large (15 sq. km), strong (up to 418ppb gold) and robust gold anomaly defined by 27 stream sediment sample points.
The gold anomaly has a highly anomalous core >100ppb gold in first order stream catchments over 3.5km of strike east-west, and at >75ppb gold extends over 6km of strike. The gold anomaly is located in the headwaters of Last Chance Creek. Downstream from this Prospect, significant placer workings commence 12km to the north and extend further north downstream through the foothills of the Alaska Range,
The Last Chance gold anomaly is located along a regional gold-arsenic-antimony trend that extends to the east and is spatially associated with a suite of exposed Cretaceous granites, the same age as those associated with the major gold deposits distributed throughout the Tintina Gold Province.
A historic search of the Alaska Department of Natural Resources website indicates that the Last Chance gold anomaly has never had any historic mining claims staked, suggesting that the area is unexplored.
Together with the size and strength of the gold anomaly, White Rock is encouraged by the exploration potential for the Last Chance Gold Prospect to yield a significant new gold discovery. The detailed definition of stream sediment sampling provides a clear area for focused on ground follow-up activities. White Rock is commencing geological reconnaissance and detailed surface soil and rock chip geochemistry during June 2020, prior to planned drill testing of targets by early August 2020.
