Sihayo Gold Limited (ASX: SIH) has announced encouraging assay results including 9m at 8.36 g/t Au from the first phase of scout drilling at the Hutabargot Julu gold prospect within its PT Sorikmas Mining Contract of Work in North Sumatra, Republic of Indonesia.
The company said that assay results were received for 19 holes of the first phase of scout drilling completed at Hutabargot Julu. This included a high-grade intercept in HUTDD074 of 9m at 8.36 g/t Au & 9.3 g/t Ag from 8m depth including 1.2 m at 48.4 g/t Au & 23.7 g/t Ag, and 12.7m at 0.86 g/t Au & 3 g/t Ag from 141m depth.
SIH said that the next phase of drilling will target the North striking Sihorbo gold vein which is located on the Western margin of the system and contains historical high-grade drill intercepts and significant artisanal mining.
The company said that rigs are currently being mobilised to the next stage of drilling on the Contract of Work.
Drilling at Hutabargot Julu
The company had recently completed the first phase of reconnaissance drilling at Hutabargot Julu for a total of 4,806.45 m of diamond coring in 25 inclined holes. The drilling was done using up to three man-portable rigs owned and operated by PT Indodrill Indonesia.
The drilling tested the potential for bulk tonnage disseminated gold and structurally-controlled high-grade epithermal gold mineralisation in widely-spaced drill holes to cover a large area of the 3.5 km x 3.0 km gold-soil geochemical anomaly highlighted in previous work by the Company.
Significant gold intercepts from the first eleven drill holes (HUTDD057 – HUTDD067) were previously reported. The company has now reported further encouraging results from eight holes (HUTDD068 to HUTDD075).
High-grade gold hits
The company announced that multiple gold intercepts were returned in most of these eight holes. SIH said that the best intercepts were returned in HUTDD074 located at the northern end of extensive shallow artisanal gold workings located on the western side of the prospect and was drilled to a final depth of 283.6 m.
The multiple gold and silver intercepts returned in this hole included 8m at 0.3 g/t Au & 2.9 g/t Ag from 0m (surface); 9m at 8.36 g/t Au & 9.3 g/t Ag from 8m, including 1.2m at 48.4 g/t Au & 23.7 g/t Ag; 4m at 0.5 g/t Au & 3.7 g/t Ag from 18m; 6m at 0.43 g/t Au & 3 g/t Ag from 39m; 3.2m at 0.6 g/t Au & 5.8 g/t Ag from 101m; and 12.7m at 0.86 g/t Au and 5 g/t Ag from 141m including 1m at 1.98 g/t Au and 1.4 g/t Ag.
The results from two other scout holes, HUTDD077 and HUTDD080, drilled about 150m and 400m South-West of HUTDD074 are pending.
Sihayo said that the potential for bulk-tonnage disseminated gold and discrete high-grade gold vein targets is supported by the results of this initial program. The company said that results highlighted several locations within the extensive prospect area that warrant follow-up work including additional drilling and possibly deeper penetrating geophysical surveys to further assist with drillhole targeting. SIH said that well-regarded geological and geophysical consultants are assisting the site geologists with geological interpretations, modelling, and targeting.
Next stage of drilling
The company announced that the next stage of drilling at Hutabargot Julu will commence this month following a helicopter-supported rig-move that is in progress.
SIH said that a 2,000-metre drilling program in 10 holes has been planned to test the high-grade Sihorbo vein structure located on the far western side of the Hutabargot Julu prospect.
Sihayo said that rigs are currently being mobilised to the next stage of drilling on the Contract of Work including testing the Sihorbo Epithermal Vein target at Hutabargot Julu West; testing along strike of Sihayo at Sihayo-2 for additional shallow oxide-gold material within trucking distance of the proposed Sihayo plant location; and geotechnical/sterilisation drilling on the Sihayo mine layout area.
The Company said that is fully funded to complete this next phase of work.
Management comments
Sihayo’s Executive Chairman, Colin Moorhead, said: “The first phase of reconnaissance drilling at Hutabargot Julu has been successful in proving our exploration model for the prospect. These latest results clearly demonstrate the presence of a large mineralised system at Hutabargot Julu that appears to strengthen to the west in near surface drilling.
As our understanding of the geology at the prospect continues to improve, we have identified follow up targets and we will commence drilling these imminently”
*Image Source: Sihayo Gold Limited