Apollo Consolidated Ltd (ASX: AOP) has announced highly positive results from the first round exploration drilling at the Duchess prospect of the Lake Rebecca Gold Project, located 150km east of Kalgoorlie, Western Australia.
The company reported that Duchess prospect has returned strong and consistent gold intercepts including the best-ever intercept of 34m @ 1.88g/t Au from 111m.
Apollo said that drilling successfully confirms potential for multiple shallow, parallel west-dipping sulphide lodes. Intercepts are interpreted to be close to true width.
AOP noted that open Duchess mineralisation will require follow-up drilling in current campaign. In the meantime, drilling is continuing at Lake Rebecca with two rigs continuing drilling at the flagship Jennifer Lode discovery.
Lake Rebecca gold project
Apollo’s wholly-owned Lake Rebecca gold project is located 150km east of Kalgoorlie in Western Australia. The project has three main prospect area, Rebecca, Duke, and Duchess (previously known as Redskin).
Rebecca is the site of the high-grade Jennifer Lode discovery and adjoining mineralised surface, and the Company continues to explore this deposit and surrounding targets.
Duchess and Duke are well-mineralised but sparsely drilled exploration prospects located approximately 4km south of Rebecca.
Drilling program at Lake Rebecca
Duchess is one of the targets being drilled as part of a 20,000m drilling program at the Lake Rebecca Gold Project. A total of 28 shallow exploration holes were drilled here to expand on historical drilling and associated intercepts. Currently, analytical results for 22 drill holes have been reported.
Apollo said that the results to date have shown potential to deliver multiple shallow west-dipping disseminated sulphide lode surfaces through a prospect area over 800m long and 400m wide. The style of mineralisation is similar to that seen at the Rebecca discovery area.
Promising results
Apollo reported that strong and consistent gold intercepts at Duchess include:
- 34m @ 1.88g/t Au from 111m supported by 15m @ 1.95g/t Au from 105m;
- 30m @ 1.48g/t Au from 100m;
- 13m @ 1.46g/t Au from 79m; and
- 11m @ 1.44g/t Au from 72m.
AOP said that the intercepts here are interpreted to be close to true width and are supported by historical results along strike including, 14m @ 1.21g/t Au and 11m @ 3.42g/t Au.
The company noted that the results outline a surface approximately 400m long that remains open to the north and down-dip.
What’s next for Duchess Prospect
APO said that in Duchess prospect, several surfaces are open to strike and all warrant further step-out and infill drilling. These are planned to be incorporated into the current and ongoing exploration plans. Apollo noted that untested IP chargeability features extend both northwest and northeast from Duchess, and these offer further exploration potential for the discovery of new surfaces.
The Company said that it sees potential for the addition of significant volume of open pit grade gold mineralisation in this area, which will have important implications for any future project economic evaluations.
Currently, assay results are pending for an additional six RC holes in the southern part of Duchess, as well as for the drilling completed at the nearby Duke exploration target.
Future plans for Rebecca prospect
The company reported that drilling activity is continuing at the flagship Rebecca discovery area. AOP said that the RC and Diamond Drilling aims to grow and increase the level of confidence in the Jennifer Lode, Jennifer NE and Laura Lodes, and explore for parallel lodes and strike extensions.
Apollo announced that it is looking forward to reporting drilling results as the program continues and assays are received and interpreted.
AOP reported that it is fully funded to fund its 2019 drilling activities, with $11.7m available to exploration as of 30th April 2019.
