Sankamap Metals (CSE:SCU) has resumed drilling at its Kuma Property in the Solomon Islands, with assays pending for the first 559m of its maiden drill hole.
Hole KU26-001 has reached 840m, intersecting several zones of alteration and sulphide mineralisation between 250m and 840m.
The company has submitted 365 samples covering the first 559m of the hole for analysis. No assay results from the drilling have yet been reported.
Drilling restarted following a planned operational pause, during which Sankamap completed targeted surface sampling and incorporated observations from the initial drilling into its geological model.
The fully funded 2,000–3,000m diamond drilling program is testing multiple targets across a 2km-long lithocap at the 4,500-hectare property. It represents the first systematic drilling of the hydrothermal system.
CEO John Florek says the program is intended to assess the scale and mineral potential of the system.
“Steady progress continues as the company advances the first-ever drill test of this previously untested lithocap, a geological expression considered prospective for copper and gold mineralisation,” Florek says.
Initial drilling encountered hydrothermally altered volcanic rocks containing anhydrite veining and disseminated to locally abundant pyrite. Sankamap interprets the alteration as consistent with the upper levels of a porphyry-related system, although assays and further drilling are required to determine its relationship to any potentially economic mineralisation.
Surface rock samples collected within the interpreted lithocap alteration zone have returned up to 3 grams per tonne gold (Au). Historical grab samples returned up to 13.5g/t Au and 11.7% copper (Cu), although grab samples are selective and may not represent the broader mineralisation.
The company notes drilling is scheduled to continue throughout the third quarter. Kuma forms part of Sankamap’s broader Oceania Project, which also includes the Fauro Property in the Solomon Islands.
Write to France Pinzon at Mining.com.au
Images: Sankamap Metals
