Advanced gold and copper explorer Alice Queen (ASX:AQX) reports recent exploration at the Sabeto Project has led to discovery of a new ‘high-grade’ alkaline gold system.
The project, which is located within Vanua Levu in Fiji, is also adjacent to the Lion One Metals (ASX:LLO) Tuvatu alkaline gold deposit – the same type of outcropping alkaline rock (monzonite) of the Nawainiu Intrusive Complex (NIC). This is the major host of mineralisation at Tuvatu and has been recognised intruding the Sabeto mini-caldera.
Best results to date include a rock chip assaying 24.9 g/t Au (sample 500131) from a narrow and steeply dipping sulphide-rich quartz vein subparallel to another sulphide vein at 3.41g/t Au (sample 500132).
A cluster of five distinct mineralised veins have been mapped along the “White Ridge” area and another cluster of at least three veins in the “Gate” area (to the South West of White Ridge) White Ridge and The Gate are in addition to sulphide-copper-gold rich veins in the central area of Tawaravi Creek (2.69 g/t Au & 3.55 % Cu (sample 500029) and 4.64 g/t Au & 1.58% Cu (sample 500033P).
Alice Queen reports the same outcropping alkaline rock (monzonite) which is the major host of mineralisation at the nearby Tuvatu gold deposit has been recognised intruding Sabeto
“The Sabeto tenement was pegged on the basis that the Sabeto Caldera and Navilawa Monzonite complex that hosts the Lion One Metals Tuvatu gold deposit, may host multiple high-grade, low-sulphidation, epithermal alkaline gold deposits”
The Tuvatu deposit is characterised by narrow, steeply dipping veins and lodes located in subparallel clusters, commonly having a subtle surface expression and are better found at depth down to a 1,000m
Addressing the results, Alice Queen Managing Director Andrew Buxton says: “The Sabeto tenement was pegged on the basis that the Sabeto Caldera and Navilawa Monzonite complex that hosts the Lion One Metals Tuvatu gold deposit, may host multiple high-grade, low-sulphidation, epithermal alkaline gold deposits. The recent work the field team has completed, suggests this original thesis is proving to be correct.”
The Sabeto Project is located within the Sabeto Valley, a 15 km east-west trending metallogenic zone that hosts several known areas of epithermal gold and porphyry gold copper style mineralisation.
