Impressive assays from the short gold exploration drilling program by Bryah Resources Limited (ASX: BYH) at the Windalah prospect within its Bryah Basin manganese project in WA have confirmed Bryah Basin gold potential.
The company announced that a three-hole RC drilling program has been completed at Windalah Gold-Copper Prospect.
BYH reported best result of 12 metres @ 4.32 g/t Au from surface, including 2 metres @ 17.19 g/t Au from 3 metres from hole BBRC049.
Bryah Resources said that the drilling was successful in testing for shallow high-grade gold following discovery in two 2018 drill holes, which included 5 metres @ 6.62 g/t Au from 79 metres, including 1 metre @ 15.05 g/t Au from 82 metres (BBRC019), and 3 metres @ 6.69 g/t Au from 145 metres, including 1 metre @ 10.52 g/t Au from 146 metres (BBRC020).
The company said that the follow-up drilling would commence as soon as practicable.
Bryah Basin project
The Bryah Basin project is located approximately 100-150km north of the town of Meekatharra in central Western Australia.
The project is host to the high-grade copper-gold mines at DeGrussa, discovered by Sandfire Resources Limited in 2009, and at Horseshoe Lights, which was mined until 1994.
The Bryah Basin also has several historical and current manganese mines including the Company’s recently acquired Horseshoe South mine. The Company has secured a joint venture agreement with OM Manganese Limited in respect to its manganese rights only in respect to approximately 660 km2 of its Bryah Basin tenement holdings.
Windalah prospect
One of the most advanced gold-copper targets in the Bryah Basin is the Windalah Prospect which was formerly known as the Mars 1 Anomaly. The Windalah Prospect consists of a sequence of folded sub cropping Narracoota Formation within a series of North West trending, anticlinal domes.
Previous exploration at the Windalah Prospect has been undertaken by Homestake Australia Limited (1984 1986) and Afmeco Pty Ltd (1988 1990) and involved aeromagnetic surveys, geological mapping, soil and rock chip sampling and RAB drilling.
Drilling at Windalah in 2018 had intersected gold mineralisation of up to 15 grams per tonne over one metre, within a broader zone of gold mineralisation.
Important hits included 5 metres @ 6.62 g/t Au from 79 metres, including 1 metre @ 15.05 g/t Au from 82 metres (BBRC019), and 3 metres @ 6.69 g/t Au from 145 metres, including 1 metre @ 10.52 g/t Au from 146 metres (BBRC020).
Exploration drilling program
The company had recently commenced a short gold exploration drilling program at Windalah Gold-Copper Prospect aimed to test for shallow extensions of the zones of high-grade gold mineralisation intersected by Bryah’s drilling in 2018.
Bryah Resources said that the program of 210 metres consisted of 3 Reverse Circulation RC holes, BBRC047, BBRC048, and BBRC049 and was opportunistically undertaken as a result of rig availability.
Strong results reported
BYH announced that the assays from the three RC holes hit high-grade gold. Significant hits include 12m @ 4.32 g/t Au from surface, including 2 metres @ 17.19 g/t Au from 3 metres from hole BBRC049.
Other high-grade intersections (>0.5 g/t Au or >500ppm Cu cut-off) includes 1m @ 0.98 g/t Au from 2m including 1m @ 1.28 g/t Au from 15 m, 4m @ 0.45 g/t Au from 22 m, and 3m @ 0.02 g/t Au from 67 m from drill hole BBRC047; 1 m @ 0.55 g/t Au from 52 m including 3m @ 0.67 g/t Au from 60 m from drill hole BBRC048; and 1m @ 0.66 g/t Au from 13 m including 6m @ 0.68 g/t Au from 37 m, 1m @ 0.82 g/t Au from 40 m, and 1m @ 0.59 g/t Au from 46 m from drill hole BBRC049.
Next steps
The Company announced that its geological team is evaluating the results of this drilling using 3D modelling to plan the next drill program, and obtain the necessary approvals to proceed as soon as practicable.
Management comments
BYH Managing Director Neil Marston said: “Intersecting 12 metres at over 4 grams per tonne of gold from the surface is an impressive result for the Company. We have now hit high-grade gold mineralisation from surface to a vertical depth of over 100 metres from drilling in 2018.
The drilling result highlights the potential for this area, which has had very limited drilling to date.
Follow-up drilling will be required to test the extent of gold at Windalah and planning is underway to get back drilling as soon as practicable.
Drilling at Windalah in 2018 intersected gold mineralisation of up to 15 grams per tonne over one metre, within a broader zone of gold mineralisation, which we have exceeded in this latest drilling. This area remains our most advanced gold-copper target in the Bryah Basin.
This drilling was funded from a Cash Flow Boost payment to support business continuity which was received from the Australian Federal Government in May. These results vindicate the Company’s decision to immediately use these funds on our on-going gold exploration activities.”