Results from ACDC Metals’ (ASX:ADC) Q1 2024 aircore drill program across the Douglas, Goschen Central, and North Watchem projects will enable a JORC estimate update mid-year, the company reports.
More than 7,000m was drilled across the heavy mineral sand (HMS) and rare earth element (REE) projects to infill, extend, and discover new mineralisation.
ACDC says assays are being reported progressively, however key visual results from ACDC Metals field team support the previously disclosed new strandline discovery.
ACDC Metals CEO Tom Davidson notes the objectives for the campaign were to target a grade increase at Goschen Central and cover further exploration at both North Watchem and Douglas.
“Our Goschen Central campaign comprised over 2,200 metres of drilling, with all assays received and reported2. Composites are now being prepared that will enable mineralogy determination and increase our confidence in the existing resource estimate.
These results will enable a JORC estimate update mid-year. The North Watchem campaign comprised over 5,000 metres, where our intent was to further investigate the exciting results, we obtained from our 2023 campaign, including the validation of a strand line3 identified at North Watchem (EL7642).
Finally, our drilling at Douglas has been very encouraging, where logging on the rig by our experienced geologists supports the new strandline which was inferred from 2023 drilling. Initial visual results look positive and we are expediting these samples through the laboratory.”
The recently completed 2024 drilling totaled 890m over 21 holes and was targeted to infill this interpreted strandline, with drill holes spaced at 25 metres.
Logging of drill samples during the 2024 program by ACDC Metals onsite geologists has indicated a very encouraging zone of interpreted thick mineralisation rich in heavy minerals which extends up to 100m either side of drill hole 23AC021 and remains open to the west.
ACDC notes that visual estimates and laboratory assays do not always align.
Encouraged by the field observations all samples from the 2024 program are currently being fast tracked for assay, with results expected within 4-6 weeks. The mineralisation style and geometry appear similar to the Iluka’s Douglas group of deposits which totalled 125mt @ 9.8% THM prior to mining.
ACDC Metals is a heavy mineral sand and rare earth element explorer and developer focussed on projects in the Murray Basin of western Victoria, Australia.
The company is also developing its licenced downstream processing technology for its Rare Earth Processing plant (REPP) Project. The process extracts rare earth elements from monazite. Goschen Central is the ACDC Metals’ flagship project.
Write to Adam Orlando at Mining.com.au
Images: ACDC
