Australian Gold and Copper (ASX:AGC) has extended the ‘high-grade’ gold-silver potential of its Evergreen discovery in New South Wales, as shallow drilling delivers a rich polymetallic mix.
The standout result was 13m @ 3.3 grams per tonne gold (Au), 264g/t silver (Ag), 0.8% copper (Cu), 4.8% zinc (Zn), and 5.3% lead (Pb) from just 99m. That includes a 3m hit grading 852g/t Ag, 5.3g/t Au, 8.1% Zn, and 9.3% Pb.
More than 100m to the north, another hole returned 15m @ 4.8g/t Au from 61m, including 2m @ 10.2g/t Au.
The results extend the ‘high-grade’ mineralisation at the Western Discovery Zone, also known as the Hillston Structure, within AGC’s South Cobar Project. The mineralisation reinforces the potential for a broad system hosting precious and base metals.
Mineralisation open at depth
AGC completed 21 reverse circulation (RC) holes for 2,593m, targeting extensions to ‘high-grade’ mineralisation previously identified by diamond drilling. Initial assays have been received for five holes.
Hole EGRC008, which returned the gold-silver-base metal hit, also delivered a separate 5m interval grading 3.5g/t Au, 104g/t Ag, and 1.6% Cu, alongside zinc and lead.
EGRC005 returned 15m @ 4.8g/t Au from 61m to the end of the hole. Meanwhile, EGRC006, drilled north of EGRC005, intersected 10m @ 1.1g/t Au from 42m and 17m @ 0.7g/t Au from 89m.
Both EGRC005 and EGRC008 ended in mineralisation, leaving the system open at depth.
Building on ‘high-grade’ diamond results
The latest drilling follows September results from diamond hole 26DDBR017, which intersected 17m @ 5.3g/t Au, 163g/t Ag, 0.8% Cu, and 17.3% combined Pb and Zn from 128m. This included 8m @ 10.4g/t Au, 311g/t Ag, 1.2% Cu, and 29% Pb-Zn.
The new RC results extend that mineralisation, with ‘broad gold-rich zones’ and ‘high-grade’ silver and base metals adding to Evergreen’s potential.
Assays are still pending for 16 of the 21 RC holes, with upcoming results set to help define the scale and continuity of the discovery across northern Evergreen.
“The Evergreen RC and diamond drilling program continues to deliver excellent results, with shallow high-grade gold, silver and base-metal mineralisation now intersected across multiple holes,” AGC Exploration Manager Gordon Barnes says.
“Importantly, these initial RC assays strengthen our understanding of the continuity of the western discovery zone between diamond holes 26DDBR013 and 26DDBR017. EGRC005 and EGRC008 both ended in mineralisation, confirming the system remains open at depth in those positions.”
Barnes comments that EGRC008 is particularly important because it demonstrates “the high-tenor polymetallic character of the zone, with strong gold and silver accompanied by copper, zinc and lead”.
“The remaining RC assays, together with the next phase of RC drilling scheduled to resume in November, will be important in defining the strike extent, width and continuity of this emerging high-grade zone,” Barnes states.
Managing Director Glen Diemar adds:
“These are outstanding shallow results from Evergreen and an important follow-up to the recent diamond drilling discovery. EGRC005 and EGRC008 confirm that high-grade mineralisation continues in shallow RC drilling, with EGRC008 returning a particularly strong gold-silver-base metal intercept.
“Evergreen is continuing to grow as a significant mineralised system. We are seeing gold, silver, zinc, lead, and copper returned over meaningful widths at shallow depths, with mineralisation remaining open and 16 RC holes still pending assays.
“The speed of follow-up from diamond drilling to RC drilling has been excellent, and the results continue to support our strategy of advancing Evergreen towards an initial mineral resource estimate.
“I look forward to presenting at the Australian Gold Conference in Sydney this week.”
Australian Gold and Copper is a mineral explorer focused on discovering and developing precious and base metal deposits in NSW.
Write to Christina Wagstaff at Mining.com.au
Main image: Australian Gold and Copper
