Diversified explorer Golden State Mining (ASX:GSM) has started a reverse circulation (RC) drilling program at the Nomad lithium prospect within its Yule Project in the Pilbara region of Western Australia.
The company, which has a $5.92 million market capitalisation, reports up to 2,000m of angled and vertical RC drilling to depths of 200m will be completed in the program. These holes will target concealed, east-northeast trending, low-density pattern targets close to anomalous caesium values returned in first-pass RC drilling, as announced on 22 December 2022.
Previous limited RC and aircore (AC) drilling completed by Golden State recorded variable lithologies with associated ‘patchy’ to moderate structural foliation and minor quartz veining, including intermediate intrusive, foliated mafic schists, and metasedimentary types under relatively thin transported cover.
Golden State expects the new RC drilling program will be completed in about 2 weeks, with results expected in late September, subject to laboratory turnaround times.
Once this RC drilling program is completed, the company plans to immediately begin a 14,000m reconnaissance AC drilling program across a range of targets at Yule, including Nomad.
Golden State also reports detailed ground gravity surveying at Nomad has identified several patterns that could be interpreted as concealed pegmatites.
The results have revealed subtle, low-density patterns in the gravity which could represent possible pegmatite intrusions. In addition to the gravity data, high-resolution magnetic data corroborates the gravity interpretation that shows breaks in the north-south magnetic trends are consistent with the intrusion of interpreted non-magnetic pegmatites.
Golden State says these 2 ‘valuable’ datasets were essential in planning the RC drilling program.
Commenting on the drilling program, Golden State Mining Managing Director Michael Moore says: “We are pleased to announce the start of our RC drilling campaign focused on the Yule Project’s Nomad prospect.
“Aeromagnetic surveys and a detailed ground gravity survey at Nomad have provided us with exciting lithium targets”
Aeromagnetic surveys and a detailed ground gravity survey at Nomad have provided us with exciting lithium targets, and we look forward to updating our shareholders in the coming months as assays are returned from the lab.
The Pilbara region’s Mallina Basin continues to grow from strength to strength for its world-class lithium prospectivity, and Golden State Mining is glad to have its skin in the game in one of Western Australia’s most exciting jurisdictions with exposure to the world’s critical, battery minerals industry.”
Golden State reports a reconnaissance drilling program of up to 3 RC holes is planned to test the Balla Yule nickel and lithium target in the north of the Yule project area.
The company says minimal historical RC drilling was completed in this region in the early 2000s and, in conjunction with inconclusive electromagnetic survey work, demonstrated the necessity for effective drill testing of the critical minerals prospective at Balla Yule to determine the nickel and copper prospectivity, as well as lithium pegmatite intrusive potential. Golden State reports this work is planned to start following the RC drilling at Nomad.
Golden State Mining is a Perth-based diversified explorer targeting lithium and gold in the ‘highly prospective’ West Pilbara Craton in Western Australia. The company’s portfolio includes the Yule, Paynes Find, Southern Cross East, and Four Mile Well, Yamarna, Eucla Basin, and Ashburton projects, along with a 20% interest in the Caprice Murchison Joint Venture (JV) with Caprice Resources (ASX:CRS).
According to its latest quarterly report published on 28 July 2023, the company had $2.069 million cash at hand on 30 June 2023.
Write to Harry Mulholland at Mining.com.au
Images: Golden State Mining Ltd
