GoldArc Resources (ASX:GA8) has delivered its ‘strongest’ grade-control results to date from the Mt Stirling Well deposit in Western Australia.
Intercepts include 4m @ 9.24 grams per tonne gold (Au) from 16m, including 1m @ 27.5g/t Au from 18m. Additional ‘high-grade’ results include 2m @ 15.5g/t Au from 18m, including 1m @ 25.5g/t Au from 19m; and 2m @ 9.75g/t Au from 18m, including 1m @ 18.7g/t Au from 18m.
The results confirm the presence of ‘high-grade’ shoots consistent with the deposit’s 2.3g/t Au resource grade and support continued grade-control coverage across the deposit.
“The Mt Stirling Well results in this batch are the strongest we’ve seen from that deposit. Intercepts like 4m at 9.24g/t Au and 2m at 15.5g/t Au are encouraging and consistent with the 2.3g/t Au resource grade,” Managing Director Paul Stephen says.
The company also reports its eighth batch of results from Mt Stirling, covering the eastern edge and western upper zone.
These areas represent deposit margins where mineralisation is characteristically narrower than the broad central envelope reported in prior rounds.
Notable intercepts include 2m @ 8.11g/t Au from 4m, including 1m @ 14.9g/t Au from 5m; and 2m Au 5.94g/t Au from 1m, including 1m @ 8.65g/t Au from 2m.
The 34,000m grade-control program is fully funded by BML Ventures under a 50/50 net profit share arrangement, with GoldArc retaining 100% ownership of both deposits.
Approximately 23,654m of the program has been completed, representing 70% progress.
Mt Stirling Well hosts a JORC inferred mineral resource of 198,000t @ 2.3g/t Au for 15,000oz and is located approximately 700m southwest of Mt Stirling within the Leonora North hub.
With the first phase of grade-control drilling at Mt Stirling now largely complete, GoldArc Resources and BML Ventures are progressing mine planning using the resulting dataset to update mining models.
The work is being advanced in preparation for the anticipated approval of the Mining Development and Closure Proposal (MDCP), the regulatory approval required before mining operations can commence.
“At Mt Stirling, with the first phase of grade control substantially complete, our focus is shifting to the mine planning work that will support the MDCP approval process,” Stephen adds.
Subject to MDCP approval, mining is anticipated to commence at Mt Stirling.
Write to JC Villarba at Mining.com.au
Images: GoldArc Resources
