North Stawell Minerals (ASX:NSM) is planning further diamond drilling following ‘encouraging’ gold results from follow-up sampling at its Darlington and Caledonia targets, which form part of the Stawell Gold Mine in Victoria.
Follow-up 1m re-samples from recent aircore drilling refine gold distribution at both Darlington and Caledonia. Drilling at Darlington has now defined an 800m gold trend that can still be extended to the south and down dip.
Darlington returned multiple intersections including 3m at 1.35g/t gold (Au) from 44m, which includes 1m at 2.52g/t Au from 45m. The southern extension delivered 1m at 2.18g/t gold from 29m, among others.
Executive Director and Head of Exploration Bill Reid says the results confirm additional ‘significant’ mineralisation north and south of prior intercepts at Darlington.
Reid also notes that the results intersected mineralisation with similarities to the Mariners Reef style, “where significant gold systems develop in the rocks above a deeper basalt”.
Drilling also identified potential additional mineralised structures 100m west of current interpretations at Darlington, with two anomalous gold zones identified.
North Stawell says its next steps will focus on finding ‘high-grade’ mineralisation within the system.
Meanwhile, the Caledonia prospect returned 3m at 1.70g/t Au from 35m, including 1m at 2.75g/t Au from 35m.
Additional results include 1m at 1.86g/t Au from 52m and 1m at 1.41g/t Au from 35m.
According to the company, these results provide “further confidence” for a potential larger gold system in the Darlington–Caledonia trend.
Reid adds that ‘significant’ grades remain open in all directions at both prospects.
“Our interpretation indicates high-grade, plunging shoots within the lower grade envelope are possible — high-value targets worth pursuing,” Reid says.
“Programs will follow up on results to build the geological model to advise targeting.”
North Stawell Minerals is a gold explorer focused on projects within Australia, while advancing its assets in the Stawell mineralised corridor in Victoria.
Write to Paula Fabe at Mining.com.au
Images: North Stawell Minerals
