Santana Minerals (ASX:SMI) has returned ‘high-grade’ drilling results, including a ‘bonanza’ intercept, from infill drilling within the core of the Rise and Shine (RAS) orebody.
Located within the Bendigo-Ophir Gold Project in New Zealand, the RAS deposit contains the majority of the deposit’s ounces.
Infill diamond drill hole MDD528 reduced hole spacing to 20m from the nearest drill holes and yielded a primary intercept of 24.4m @ 10.9 grams per tonne gold (Au) from 165.7m, with a true width of 20.2m.
Two deeper, sub-parallel stacked zones in the same hole also returned significant assays, including 2.0m @ 89.5g/t Au from 197m (true width 1.7m) with visible gold; and 3.0m @ 2.5g/t Au from 207m (true width 2.5m).
Santana says the new results improve upon the grades of previous wider-spaced drilling models. The deeper 2.0m @ 89.5g/t Au interval, in particular, confirms the sub-parallel trend of a ‘high-grade’ zone that can be accessed via an open pit.
Two additional infill diamond drill holes returned intercepts consistent with previous drilling patterns, increasing confidence in the first scheduled mining area.
Intercepts returned 2.0m @ 8.5g/t Au from 172m (true width 1.8m), and 10.0m @ 2.9g/t Au from 179m (true width 9.0m); and 5.0m @ 1.3g/t Au from 176m (true width 4.9m), and 11.0m @ 1.0g/t Au from 188m (true width 10.8m).
CEO Damian Spring says every hole drilled into the core of the deposit enhances and further de-risks the first planned mining area.
“We continue however, to wait for the regulators in NZ to deliver our mining consents as expected under the Fast-track Act so this fantastic gold discovery and development option can provide for our shareholders, the community, and the prosperity of the country,” Spring says.
Santana Minerals is an explorer focused on advancing its Bendigo-Ophir Gold Project in New Zealand.
Write to Paula Fabe at Mining.com.au
Images: Mining.com.au
