King River Resources (ASX:KRR) has mobilised a reverse circulation (RC) drill rig to its Mindoolah Gold Project in Western Australia to begin systematic testing of historical waste dumps and stockpiles.
The drilling campaign follows a three-dimensional light detection and ranging (LiDAR) volumetric assessment that identified a significant discrepancy between reported historical production records and estimated surface-excavated volume across the project area.
Historical mining at Mindoolah during the mid-1980s primarily focused on shallow oxide mineralisation, with reported head grades averaging 19.02 grams per tonne gold.
The company considers there is potential for mineralised material to have been placed on historical waste dumps and ‘low-grade’ stockpiles, given the higher economic cut-off grades applicable at the time.
Drilling will be completed on a targeted grid across priority areas, with 1,690m planned across 167 holes.
The Excelsior waste dump will receive the most attention with 1,017m across 83 holes, followed by Cundy with 380m across 38 holes and Mindoolah Main Reef with 293m across 46 holes.
LiDAR mapping has identified the Excelsior waste dump as the largest historical waste dump within the Mindoolah Mining Centre.
Historical sampling across the dump is limited. However, three of the six recorded samples returned grades greater than 1.00g/t gold.
“This targeted campaign gives us a valuable dual opportunity to complete a systematic, high-density evaluation […] and to execute critical first-pass drill testing beneath the historical pit floors and underground workings,” King River Managing Director Graham Gadsby says.
The Mindoolah Gold Project comprises granted leases and applications located approximately 70km north-west of Cue in the highly prospective Murchison Province of Western Australia.
The project has a long history of historical mining and exploration, with mining reportedly starting from 1906.
Write to JC Villarba at Mining.com.au
Images: King River Resources
