Mandrake Resources (ASX:MAN) has completed a reverse circulation (RC) drilling program targeting ‘high-grade’ gold and copper mineralisation at its 100% owned Berinka Pine Creek Gold Project located in the Northern Territory.
The company drilled a total of 11 holes for 1,131m which comprised 1,047m of RC drilling, plus an 84m diamond tail of NQ2 core at one of its holes.
All RC samples have been submitted to the laboratory with results expected in the coming weeks.
Diamond core is currently being processed prior to the sampling and submission of applicable intervals to the laboratory for analysis.
Diamond core is currently being processed prior to the sampling and submission of applicable intervals to the laboratory for analysis
In mid-2020, Mandrake undertook frontier drilling at Berinka targeting two greenfield prospects, Vegetation Anomaly and Terry’s Gap, identified from aeromagnetics and historic gold results from costeans.
The program in 2020 was curtailed by difficult ground conditions.
RC hole FBRC005 at Vegetation Anomaly returned a ‘high-grade’ gold-silver-copper intercept of 3m @ 1.8g/t Au, 32g/t Ag and 2.1% Cu from 124m, including 1m @ 3.7g/t Au, 69g/t Ag and 3.1% Cu from 124m.
The current drilling program sought to follow up the ‘encouraging’ 2020 drilling program results and test four other prospects in the immediate vicinity.
Carpentaria Exploration first explored the area in 1975 when a reconnaissance visit found quartz veining at what is now known as the Terry’s Prospect that assayed 5.5g/t Au.
Over the next 6 years Carpentaria conducted soil sampling, mapping, gridding, rock chip sampling and ground magnetics.
Most of these activities were focused on the Terry’s Prospect area which is situated approximately 2km southeast of Vegetation Anomaly.
Importantly, Vegetation Anomaly and Terry’s Prospect appear ‘connected’ by a distinct northwest-southeast lineament as interpreted from magnetic imagery.
In the mid-1980s Carpentaria drilled 36 RC drillholes totalling 3,014m at Terry’s Prospect.
Best intersections include:
- 4m @ 6.6g/t from 32m
- 6m @ 3.1g/t from 18m
- 5m @ 2.6g/t from 30m
Mandrake Resources is a junior exploration company established with the purpose of exploring and developing gold, nickel, copper and PGE opportunities.
The company recently entered into an agreement to earn-in to exploration tenure prospective for Ni/Cu/PGEs in the ‘exciting’ Jimperding Metamorphic Belt, 70km northeast of Perth, Western Australia.
Mandrake also owns a mineral exploration project located in the prolific Pine Creek Orogen of the Northern Territory prospective for gold, silver and base metals.
Images: Mandrake Resources Limited
