Catalina Resources (ASX:CTN) has planned an initial 2,200m reverse circulation (RC) drilling program across four priority gold targets at its Kirkalocka Gold Project in Western Australia.
The company has completed reconnaissance programs across the Highway, Capra, Avis, and 2 Mile Bore prospects following its recent acquisition of the project.
Drilling will commence after soil assay results are received and interpreted.
Historical rock chip sampling at Avis returned up to 9.89 grams per tonne gold (Au), while previous drilling at Highway and 2 Mile Bore confirmed gold mineralisation, including 6m at 1.79g/t Au from 42m and 1m at 4.66g/t Au from 34m.
“Our priority has been to rapidly transition the Project from historical review to drill-ready targets, and we have made excellent progress in a short period of time,” Executive Director Ross Cotton says.
“The field reconnaissance work combined with historical assay data have delineated priority targets, this work has allowed us to confidently prioritise drill targets across Highway, Capra, Avis, and 2 Mile Bore.”
Advancing the Kirkalocka targets
The Kirkalocka Gold Project sits within the southern Wydgee-Meekatharra Greenstone Belt and includes tenure adjacent to the Kirkalocka Gold Mine, which hosts a published mineral resource of approximately 240,000oz gold.
The project is also located next to the 2-million-tonne-per-annum Kirkalocka Gold Processing Plant, which is being advanced towards recommencement by Gylden Resources.
The Highway prospect comprises a fold closure interpreted from airborne magnetic data. Historical drilling confirmed gold mineralisation associated with the amphibolite sequence, including 6m at 1.38g/t Au from 27m.
At Avis, historical workings occur within basalt-hosted quartz veins. Historic rock chip sampling by Mount Magnet South returned significant gold results, including 9.89g/t Au, 2.59g/t Au, 2.08g/t Au, and 1.18g/t Au.
The 2 Mile Bore prospect is dominated by the north-south-trending Cuddingwarra Shear. Historical drilling returned 1m at 4.66g/t Au from 34m and 1m at 0.64g/t Au from 30m.
Soil sampling and heritage assessment are currently underway. Results from the soil program will be integrated with historical drilling, geological mapping, and geophysical datasets to finalise drill hole locations, with RC drilling expected to commence in the near-term.
Catalina Resources is a Western Australian gold explorer advancing the Kirkalocka project within its Mid-West Gold strategy, focused on consolidating and developing district-scale gold inventory around the Kirkalocka processing facility.
Write to JC Villarba at Mining.com.au
Images: Catalina Resources
