Great Western Exploration Limited (ASX: GTE) has announced a positive update from the follow-up field checking as a result of the last drilling programme at its Yandal West project.
The company reported that the follow-up mapping of the Harris Find Shear Zone (HFSZ) at the May Queen prospect has confirmed the continuation of the high-grade shear zone with rock chips of 33.1 g/t gold and 4.1 g/t gold.
GTE said that the results support the Company’s enhanced geological understanding, which it is excited to be testing with a further targeted drill campaign to commence imminently.
Previous drilling has demonstrated at least 550m of significant continuous gold mineralisation along the HFSZ at May Queen that includes 3m @ 5.01 g/t gold; 4m @ 2.51 g/t gold; 2m @ 2.22 g/t gold; and 5m @ 1.28 g/t gold
The company reported that the gold mineralisation occurs at or near surface where mafic schist that forms part of the HFSZ subcrops.
Yandal West gold project
The Yandal West gold project is located in Western Australia’s mid-west. The project is located within the world class Yandal gold belt, approximately 55km north of the Bronzewing gold deposit and 60km south of the Jundee gold mine.
The significant prospects of Yandal West gold project include May Queen, Harris Find, Bobs Find, and Ives Find.
High-grade gold has been associated with three large mineralised shear zones; Harris Find with approximately 8km strike, May Queen with approximately 6.5km strike, and Ives Find with approximately 6.5km strike.
May Queen prospect
The May Queen gold prospect is a greenfields gold discovery made by the Company. The Harris Find Shear Zone (HFSZ) at May Queen is a high priority target for GTE, after being identified in the last drill program.
The HFSZ is a large shear zone that can be traced in geophysical data for at least 8km. The shear zone also contains the high-grade Harris Find Gold workings located along strike.
Drilling at May Queen
The company had conducted wide-spaced drilling at May Queen prospect.
The drilling had demonstrated at least 550m of significant and continuous gold mineralisation along the Harris Find Shear Zone at May Queen, which included 3m at 5.01g/t gold, 4m at 2.51g/t gold, 2m at 2.22g/t gold and 5m at 1.28g/t gold.
Field checking
Before the commencement of the next round of drilling, the company had started further field checking at May Queen.
The company reported that to date only approximately 20% of the area identified as a priority for further investigation has been field checked with 102 rock chip samples collected to date and the majority of the assay results are yet to be received.
The Company reported that it started at the HFSZ within the May Queen prospect.
Two May Queen outcrops
Great Western announced that it has discovered some outcropping altered mafic shear at two locations along strike of the current drilling.
Outcrop 1
The company reported that the first outcrop was approximately 50m southeast of HFRC070, where there was visible gold and intersected 3m @ 5.01 g/t gold.
GTE said that the outcrop appears to be the same mafic schist and returned a rock chip sample of 33.1 g/t gold, indicating the high-grade shear continues south of the drilling and remains open.
Outcrop 2
The company said that the second outcrop was located approximately 130m to the northwest of HFRC070 where there was some quartz veining within the mafic shear that returned 4.10 g/t gold.
This outcrop was within the HFSZ where wide spaced drilling has demonstrated at least 550m of significant continuous gold mineralisation.
Better understanding
The Company reported that it has a significant development in the understanding of the nature of the gold mineralisation at its Yandal West gold project.
GTE said that additional confidence in the Company’s understanding of the gold mineralisation has been achieved because further veining and alteration has been encountered in areas where it was predicted.
Drilling to recommence soon
The company reported that these latest results show that there is a substantial shear with continuous near surface significant gold mineralisation along its length located on the eastern side of the May Queen gold in soil anomaly.
The soil data indicates that this shear may remain near surface for approximately 3km and could be mineralised along its length.
The company said that the drilling is scheduled to commence next week and will initially target the southern extension of HFRC070.
