Woomera Mining Limited (ASX: WML) has completed an extensive VTEM MAX aerial survey over the Wyloo Dome Gold JV Project in Western Australia’s Ashburton region, with the process successfully identifying new exploration targets for immediate follow-up.
The VTEMTM MAX survey was a key event for Woomera as the company has now met the minimum $300,000 spend required within the first year of the Farm-In and Joint Venture Agreement (FIJVA) signed with privately owned Nanjilgardy Resources in March 2022.
Under the FIJVA, Woomera can earn a 60% interest in the project by spending up to A$4 million within three years.
The Wyloo Dome Project is located 1,000km north of Perth and is accessed via the sealed Nanutarra Road, from the township of Paraburdoo in Western Australia.
The tenements lie between Northern Star Resources’ Paulsens gold mine (0.95 Moz historical gold endowment – production between 2004-2017 was 909koz (NSR Fact Sheet) plus a total mineral resource of circa 38koz (NSR Resources and Reserves webpage) and Kalamazoo Resources’ Mt Olympus gold project (1.65Moz gold Mineral Resource).
There is compelling evidence for mineralisation between those two plus-million ounce gold deposits. Numerous rounds of historical exploration have demonstrated significant and at times high-grade gold anomalism in drilling and rock chip sampling coupled with suitable host rocks of carbonates and carbonaceous siltstones with evidence of decalcification of dolomite and limestone units.
The company says these aspects demonstrate strong comparisons between the geology of the region and that of Nevada’s Carlin Trend, which hosts multiple multi-million ounce gold deposits. The VTEMTM MAX survey has confirmed the relative structural complexities within suitable host rocks needed to host such styles of mineralisation.
Wyloo Dome VTEMTM MAX Survey and Prospects
The geology of the Wyloo Dome Project comprises Duck Creek Dolomite with lesser exposures of the Mt McGraths Formation which hosts the gold mineralisation at Mt Olympus.
Unlike the gold deposits around Kalgoorlie, the Ashburton region has greater affinity to the giant multi-million ounce gold deposits found in Nevada, USA. A
regional airborne electromagnetic (AEM) survey commissioned by Geoscience Australia (GA) in 2013 identifed that the Mt McGraths Formation is conductive, providing a direct mapping tool to identify favourable stratigraphy.
The Geoscience Australia AEM Survey was flown on a 5km line spacing, whereas Woomera’s VTEM MAX Survey was completed initially on 200m line spacing with selected infil down to 100 metre line spacing.
At the New Morning prospect, an untested blind AEM conductor coincident with a recently defined, large amplitude VTEM MAX anomaly, lies adjacent to the historical drilling which returned encouraging intersections of up to 16m at 0.68 g/t Au, suggesting a near-miss scenario whereby this intersection is distal to the main mineralisation lode/s.
At the Golden Marra Mamba Prospect significant rock chip anomalism, up to 11.7 g/t Au is coincident with a strong AEM conductor and now complemented by demonstrated geophysical anomalism and structural complexity.
The VTEM Max has confirmed the AEM anomaly and adds further prospectivity to the Golden Marra Mamba Prospect by detailing the internal complexities within the host lithologies coincident with demonstrated geochemical anomalism.
The internal complexities likely represent structural pathways for fluid mobility and possible deposition of mineralisation.
Woomera has initially refined these targets with the VTEM MAX survey and is looking to ground truth in anticipation of potentially drill testing the higher order targets as soon as possible. The Company will now prioritise the newly identied VTEM MAX anomalies, with plans to commence drilling once all statutory approvals are received.
“It has been an incredibly busy first week at Woomera as MD, and it is an absolute pleasure to be discussing the Wyloo Dome JV Project, let alone the other highly prospective Projects in our portfolio,” Managing Director, Jason Livingstone, said.
“This survey is a key event in regards to the Wyloo Dome FIJVA, with the first expenditure hurdle now met and a significant number of new targets generated.
“Our team is ready to return to the field to further assess and prioritise these targets. Having high grade rock chips and highly anomalous drilling coincident with geophysical anomalies bodes incredibly well for the future of Wyloo Dome under Woomera management.”
For further information please visit: https://www.woomeramining.com.au
