In 2025, Iltani Resources (ASX:ILT) intends to test a cluster of mapped vein systems and old workings at Orient North, which are some 250m north of the current drilling at Orient East.
Orient North represents a high-priority target for the company and has the potential to become an additional mining centre at the Orient Silver-Indium Project in Herberton, North Queensland, the company says.
Meanwhile, drilling results at the Orient East deposit within the Orient Project continue to “exceed expectations” for Iltani.
The critical minerals and base metals explorer reports hole ORR053 has delivered the highest-grade intersection to date at Orient of 1m at 2,066.3 grams per tonne (g/t) silver-equivalent from 77m within a wider intercept of 4m at 921.8g/t silver-equivalent from 77m downhole.
Managing Director Donald Garner says drilling is demonstrating the continuity of the vein systems, with ORR050 drilled down-dip of the high-grade mineralisation intersected in ORR041 and ORR042.
The mineralisation intersected is now continuous over 130m down-dip and remains open at depth. The “high-grade” intersections are all shallow and would fall within an expected pit shell, he says.
“Continuing to exceed our expectations, the latest set of drillholes from Orient East have delivered more thick zones of high-grade silver-lead-zinc-indium mineralisation at open pittable depths plus more exceptional silver-rich massive sulphide mineralisation,” Garner says.
The mineralisation intersected in ORR049 from surface to 64m downhole, with an intersection of 28m at 191.5g/t silver-equivalent from 36m — “again supporting the case for potential open pit mining”, according to Garner.
Assay results are now pending from the remaining Orient East drillholes (ORR056 to ORR060), plus ORR061 (Orient South) and the first seven drillholes of the Orient West JORC Infill program (ORR062 to ORR068) over the next four to eight weeks.
Mineralisation at the Orient Project consists of a series of epithermal vein systems with associated stockwork mineralisation and extensive alteration (Orient West, Orient East, Orient North and Deadman Creek) identified over an area of at least about 6km2.
Prior to the latest program, Iltani had completed a total of 35 drillholes for 5,758m drilled at Orient.
Mineralisation targeted at Orient East is believed to be terminated to the east by the caldera margin, however the company says all indications are that the mineralisation is open to the west (where it is under cover) and has the potential to intersect the Orient West vein system.
Iltani added eight drillholes to the recently completed Orient East drilling program to target the mineralisation striking to the west.
The company has also completed one reverse circulation hole (ORR061) to test an area of historical workings at Orient South.
Assay results announced from the 10 holes of the recently completed 25-hole drilling campaign at Orient East have demonstrated its potential to host a large-scale mining operation targeting the silver-lead-zinc-indium mineralisation.
Completion of an Orient East exploration target, which is likely in late January 2025, subject to receipt of assay results, will set the stage for exploration starting in early 2025.
Iltani plans to mobilise at least two drill rigs to site to complete the Orient West JORC resource infill drilling and follow up the recent Orient East drilling and begin a JORC resource infill drilling program at Orient East.
Write to Adam Orlando at Mining.com.au
Images: Iltani
