Elk Range Mining (ASX:ELK) has identified coarse visible gold during a systematic review of retained historical drill core at its Friday Gold Project in Idaho, US.
The visible gold was found in historical hole PFR2014_06 at approximately 137m downhole, within the final metre of the hole.
The interval was historically reported as 5.30m @ 26.54 grams per tonne gold (Au) from 131.86m, within a broader 112.78m @ 5.22g/t Au from 24.38m. Elk Range notes the historical core was not previously sampled using modern analytical techniques.
Elk Range has quarter-core sampled the interval for expedited PhotonAssay analysis using an approximately 500g sample charge, compared to the historical 50g fire assay.
CEO Edward Keys says the company is taking a ‘modern’ approach to exploration at the project.
“Finding coarse visible gold in the retained historical core is an exciting outcome from our systematic review of the Friday dataset, particularly given where it occurs and given that it wasn’t optimally analysed,” Keys says.
“Applying modern techniques enables us to improve our understanding of the high-grade gold mineralisation and the potential variability associated with coarse gold.
“Combining [the preserved historical core] with the new oriented drilling, structural information, and contemporary assays is allowing us to build a stronger geological dataset as we progress Friday towards a JORC-compliant mineral resource.”
The company’s maiden drill hole 26FRD001 runs parallel with PFR2014_06 before extending approximately 200m beyond the historical end-of-hole into an area of limited previous drilling.
While visible gold is an important geological observation, Keys stresses that it is not a substitute for laboratory assays and should not be taken as an indication of grade or continuity in 26FRD001.
Elk Range notes diamond drilling is continuing on day and night shifts as part of an eight-hole, 2,850m phase one program.
Assays remain pending, with initial laboratory results expected in late October or early November 2026.
Elk Range Mining is a gold explorer and developer focused on advancing its projects in Idaho.
Write to Paula Fabe at Mining.com.au
Images: Elk Range Mining
