Hillgrove Resources (ASX:HGO) is lauding the newly realised potential at its Kanmantoo copper-gold mine in South Australia, after the latest round of drilling extended — with “outstanding” results — the Spitfire and South West Kavanagh mineral systems.
Since the company’s last underground drilling update in November, a further 42 infill holes have been completed — 30 at Spitfire and 12 at South West Kavanagh — delivering 62 mineralised intersections.
The results include 40m @ 1.38% copper from 74m, and 36m @ 1.78% copper and 0.15 grams per tonne gold from 125m, at Spitfire.
At South West Kavanagh, drilling returned 20.1m @ 1.38% from 87m and 16m @ 1.05% copper from 90m.
This, Hillgrove says, demonstrates the predictability of the mineralisation down dip at Kanmantoo, and that the Spitfire zone extends well beyond the current geological model.
Managing Director and CEO Lachlan Wallace says the close proximity of the Spitfire and South West Kavanagh lodes to the current underground decline presents an opportunity for these extensions to be included in a mine plan, and for little extra cost.
“Spitfire was initially considered to be a modest mineral zone which extended approximately 50m vertically, however, the recent drilling confirms that the Spitfire lode is far larger than initially anticipated and now extends more than 250m vertically and remains open at depth,” Wallace says.
“SW Kavanagh is also looking positive with a number of previously unknown high-grade copper breccia zones being identified in the recent 12-hole program.”
As underground development extends at Kanmantoo and deeper drilling platforms are established, Hillgrove will continue to pursue both the Spitfire and South West Kavanagh mineral systems at depth, Wallace adds.
Drilling is set to continue as part of the stope definition, providing key inputs for stope planning and development designs.
Write to Oliver Gray at Mining.com.au
Images: Hillgrove Resources
