Diablo Resources (ASX:DBO) has begun maiden drilling at the North Star prospect within its Star Range Project in Utah, US, marking the first subsurface test of ‘high-grade’ silver-antimony targets.
The initial program comprises approximately 1,000m across five diamond holes designed to test priority targets beneath surface results.
Results include 3,043 grams per tonne silver (Ag) and 1.37g/t gold (Au), and 1,592g/t Ag and 0.7% antimony (Sb). Existing approvals provide flexibility for up to 27 holes from 12 pads.
CEO Lyle Thorne says the program represents an important milestone for the company’s Utah exploration strategy.
“Our US exploration team is excited to have drilling underway at North Star. Star Range continues to demonstrate strong potential across multiple target zones, and this program will provide important subsurface data to guide the next phase of exploration,” Thorne notes.
Diablo defined the drilling targets through integration of surface geochemistry, geological mapping, and induced polarisation geophysics. The program aims to assess the scale, continuity, and geometry of the polymetallic mineralised system at depth.
Surface sampling at North Star has returned multiple ‘high-grade’ results, including 2,311g/t Ag and 0.4% Sb, and 1,243g/t Ag and 0.2% Sb.
The Star Range Project is located within Utah’s Frisco Mining District, an area with historical mining activity for lead, zinc, copper, gold, and silver. Mineralisation occurs as structurally controlled replacement style deposits and breccia vein systems.
Regional exploration continues across Star Range, where the South Star prospect extends more than 3,000m and East Star hosts an approximately 400m copper‑in‑soil anomaly.
Exploration is also progressing at the nearby Horn Silver Project, where recent reconnaissance sampling returned ‘high‑grade’ silver, gold, and copper results. The company says these results are being incorporated into drill target prioritisation.
“With drilling underway at Star Range and ownership consolidated at Horn Silver, Diablo is well positioned to accelerate exploration across both projects,” Thorne adds.
Diablo Resources will undertake geological logging and progressive assay submissions throughout the program. Results will guide follow-up drilling priorities.
Write to JC Villarba at Mining.com.au
Images: Diablo Resources
