Astral Resources (ASX:AAR) has struck further ‘high-grade’ intercepts outside of the current Mineral Resource Estimate (MRE) at the Theia deposit within its Mandilla Gold Project in Western Australia.
The results, generated by 2 diamond drilling (DD) holes and 41 reverse circulation (RC) holes, have returned ‘high-grade’ gold mineralisation up to 178.4g/t gold (Au) and 155.35g/t Au over broad widths in multiple drillholes ahead of a planned updated Mineral Resource Estimate (MRE) update expected in June.
Astral notes the results demonstrate the potential to both add resources at depth and to widen the pit shell to the west.
Key results include hole MDRCD675 with 23.8m @ 2.41g/t Au from 257.3m, including 0.3m @ 155.35g/t Au from 257.3m, and 29m @ 2.61g/t Au from 296.6m, including 0.3m @ 178.4g/t Au from 296.6m and 1m @ 12.92g/t Au from 320.4m.
Other key results from extensional RC drilling on the eastern flank of Theia, which also confirmed ‘significant’ gold, include hole MDRC755 with 18m @ 1.86g/t Au from 100m and 3m @ 7.53g/t Au from 149m, including 1m @ 21.93g/t Au from 150m.
Drilling is currently ongoing at Mandilla, with exploration completed to date including 14 DD holes and 121 RC holes. Assay results for 24 holes are currently pending.
Furthermore, Astral has recently completed additional diamond drilling along the plunge of mineralisation, aiming to assess the continuity of mineralisation and frequency of favourable quartz veins.
Drilling is also being conducted to follow up on several RC intersections reported in October 2021 and is expected to grow the mineral resources on the eastern flank ‘significantly’.
Addressing the results, Astral Resources Managing Director Marc Ducler says: “Exceptional diamond drilling results continue to be delivered at depth within the Theia deposit, expanding the mineralised envelope and encouraging us to add further drillholes to the current program.
Hole MDRCD675, which is reported in this announcement, intersected 187-gram metres of gold over the length of the hole. This adds to the great results reported in April from MDRCD660, which delivered over 250-gram metres of gold across its length. Coarse gold is common to both holes, with visual observations identifying 8 and 10 instances of visible gold in each hole respectively.
“Exceptional diamond drilling results continue to be delivered at depth within the Theia deposit, expanding the mineralised envelope and encouraging us to add further drillholes to the current program”
Even more pleasing is the detailed logging of our latest drillholes, MDRCD734 and MDRCD735 (assays pending), identified 13 instances of visible gold in each hole, giving us confidence that we will have further positive assay results to come.
Extensional and in-fill RC drilling at Theia also delivered impressive results on the eastern flank of the deposit, where we expect to add additional mineral resources within the existing optimised pit shell.
Astral is aiming to update the Mandilla Mineral Resource early next quarter and, with lab turnaround times currently less than one week, we expect to include the majority of the results from our 2023 drilling in the updated MRE.
We are confident that the MRE update will further enhance Mandilla’s status as one of the best undeveloped gold projects in the Eastern Goldfields region of Western Australia.”
With RC and DD still ongoing at Mandilla, Astral Resources announces it has moved forward with additional scoping study work for the project, including the estimation of capital and operating costs for dedicated processing infrastructure. Further work on the design and capital cost estimation for a tailings storage facility is also expected to begin soon.
The company also says detailed mine design and scheduling work will be undertaken for inclusion in the Mandilla Scoping Study upon receipt of the updated MRE. The completion of the scoping study is scheduled during the September quarter.
Astral Resources is an ASX-listed, Perth-based gold exploration and base metals company actively working on its wholly owned Mandilla Project located about 70km south of the township of Kalgoorlie and 20km southeast of Kambalda in Western Australia. The project comprises the Theia, Iris, Eos, and Hestia deposits, as well as a current MRE of 30Mt @ 1.1g/t Au for 1.03Moz of contained gold.
Images: Astral Resources Ltd
