Diatreme Resources (ASX:DRX) reports that it has discovered a second ‘high-grade’ silica sand resource within the northern section of its Cape Bedford exploration tenement in Far North Queensland.
A JORC-2012 maiden inferred mineral resource estimate for the area, dubbed the Si 2 North Project, has delivered 53.2 million tonnes @ 99.32% SiO2.
The company notes that subject to further mineralogical testing, silica sand from the resource is expected to be of high-enough quality to be used in premium glass manufacture for automotive, electronics and solar panel applications.
Addressing the news, Diatreme Resources CEO Neil McIntyre said: “Our Galalar Silica Project in the southern section of our tenement is advancing through its permitting and approvals process and remains our immediate development priority, however this new maiden inferred resource in the northern section of our exploration tenement of approx. 53 million tonnes shows Diatreme has the potential for multiple operations within its extraordinarily prospective tenement area.
“The Si2 North Project discovery is exceptional given its size and proximity to existing export infrastructure at Cape Flattery”
The Si2 North Project discovery is exceptional given its size and proximity to existing export infrastructure at Cape Flattery and serves to highlight the Company’s potential over time to have multiple mining operations and genuinely has the potential to become a world class producer of high purity silica product of significant scale , volume and capacity.”
Drilling leading up to the resource declaration was carried out in November 2021, and was comprised of 47 vacuum drillholes for a total of 1,055.6m. The work generated ‘high purity’ deep drilling results, including 42m @ 99.39% SiO2 from Hole PLT099, and 30m @ 99.62% SiO2 from hole PLT090.
Map of the Si 2 North Project with regional exploration drilling displayed in yellowThe resource stretches across a 305 hectare area which sits adjacent to mining leases attached to the world’s largest silica sand mine at Cape Flattery.
Further results from 2021 drilling remain pending, with additional work expected to commence in early 2022.
Images: Diatreme Resources Limited
