Astral Resources (ASX:AAR) has confirmed a ‘high-grade’ gold zone extending over 300m beyond the current mineral resource at the Hestia deposit, located within the Mandilla Gold Project in Western Australia.
The company reports this gold zone was confirmed with assay results from infill and extensional reverse circulation (RC) drilling at Hestia. Assays received include hole MDRC698 with 10m @ 6.35g/t Au from 133m; MDRC694 with 6m @ 6.07g/t Au from 85m, and 6m @ 1.85g/t Au from 103m; and MDRC690 with 5m @ 1.97g/t Au from 44m, and 8m @ 3.61g/t Au from 95m.
Astral says about 6,000m of new RC and diamond resource drilling has been completed at Theia up to 4 April 2023, and notes drilling is ongoing.
Commenting on the results, Astral Resources Managing Director, Marc Ducler says: “The results from the Hestia infill and extensional drill programs have provided the team with confidence that the next update to the Hestia MRE (Mineral Resource Estimate) will deliver a significant increase both in terms of ounces and grade.
Recent diamond drilling completed at Theia this year also appears encouraging from visual inspection and, with assay results for this drilling pending, additional DD (diamond drilling) holes have been added to the program to both upgrade the resource classification and potentially identify additional gold mineralisation at depth below the current resource limits.
“Our focus for 2023 is to increase the resource base to a critical mass that will support a robust standalone mine development at Mandilla”
Our focus for 2023 is to increase the resource base to a critical mass that will support a robust standalone mine development at Mandilla. The results from Hestia are strongly supportive of this aim.
It is anticipated that Feysville will represent a satellite ore source for Mandilla with new high-grade assay results from the Kamperman prospect providing further encouragement.
Astral has completed over 14,741m of drilling at Mandilla in our 2023 programs, with RC and diamond drilling continuing in support of our commitment to resource growth and continual improvement of the project quality.
Assay results from the ongoing drilling at Theia are expected to be announced in the coming weeks. Against the backdrop of a strong gold price and improving investor sentiment in the gold sector, a positive period ahead for Astral is anticipated.”
Astral also reports a single diamond drillhole completed at the Feysville Gold Project, located 50km north of Mandilla, has interested a broad ‘high-grade’ gold zone. Hole FRCD208 which was drilled at the Kamperman deposit, intersected 10m @ 4.57g/t Au from 148m.
This hole was designed to investigate targets within the granophyric portion of the target gabbro, which is considered the most prospective part for ‘high-grade’ gold mineralisation, while also following up ‘high-grade’ intersections from historical RC drilling.
Astral reports additional diamond drilling will be undertaken at Hestia to improve the understanding of the structures controlling gold mineralisation. It also notes the recent drilling program at Hestia has demonstrated the potential to ‘significantly’ increase the scale of the MRE in terms of ounces, and grade.
At Feysville, the company says Kamperman is prospective for ‘significant high-grade’ gold mineralisation with potential to extend the mineralisation both along strike, up-dip, and down-dip. Astral will undertake further drilling at Kamperman once the current Mandilla drill programs are completed.
Astral Resources is a Perth-based gold and base metal exploration company focused on developing the Mandilla Gold Project located 70km south of Kalgoorlie. The company also holds the Feysville Gold Project, and the Carnilya Hill Gold Project in the Kalgoorlie-Kambalda region of Western Australia.
Images: Astral Resources NL
