Silver Mines Limited (ASX: SVL) has announced significant drill assay results including 26.1 metres at 252 g/t silver equivalent for the Bowdens Silver Project located near Mudgee in New South Wales.
The company said that source/feeder zone was targeted with drilling into the Northwest High-Grade Zone. SVL said that high-grade results were returned from BD20017 feeder structure. Intercepts included 26.1 metres @ 252 g/t silver equivalent (202 g/t silver, 0.31% zinc, 1.01% lead) from 229 metres; and 1.0 metre @ 923 g/t silver equivalent (356 g/t silver, 1.22% zinc, 2.2 % lead, 5.41g/t gold) from 282.9 metres.
Results from BD20015 included 1.0 metre @ 542 g/t silver equivalent (517 g/t silver, 0.32% zinc, 0.28 % lead) from 241 metres; and 1.0 metre @ 542 g/t silver equivalent (402 g/t silver, 0.02% zinc, 3.35 % lead) from 282 metres.
The company said that Northwest High-Grade Zone has now confirmed over 300 metres (down plunge) with a width of approximately 200 metres.
Diamond drilling at Bowdens project
The company said that diamond drilling continues to test extensions of potential source/feeder structures within and around the Northwest High-Grade Zone. The zone starts approximately 30 metres below the base of the proposed Bowdens Silver open pit and is a mineralised zone being targeted for potential high-grade silver underground mining scenarios.
The Northwest Zone had previously returned spectacular high-grade silver results.
SVL said that assay results have now been returned for four holes completed in late 2020, BD20014, BD20015, BD20016, and BD20017.
Significant high-grade drill results
The company reported that high-grade results were returned from BD20017 feeder structure. Intercepts included 26.1 metres @ 252 g/t silver equivalent (202 g/t silver, 0.31% zinc, 1.01% lead) from 229 metres including 10.1 metres @ 460g/t silver equivalent (357g/t silver, 0.47% zinc, 1.86% lead, 0.22g/t gold) from 245 metres in an epithermal breccia pipe including 1.1 metre @ 1030 g/t silver equivalent (921 g/t silver, 0.96% zinc, 1.84% lead) from 248.8 metres; and 1.0 metre @ 871 g/t silver equivalent (471 g/t silver, 0.48% zinc, 7.61% lead, 1.52g/t gold) from 254.1 metres; 2.0 metres @ 438 g/t silver equivalent (382 g/t silver, 0.37% zinc, 1.11% lead) from 216 metres; and 1.0 metre @ 923 g/t silver equivalent (356 g/t silver, 1.22% zinc, 2.2 % lead, 5.41g/t gold) from 282.9 metres.
The company said that the mineralisation intersected in BD20017 from 248 to 256 metres showed breccia and vein textures indicative of boiling and episodic hydrothermal events. These intercepts were approximately 30 metres down and to the south of the high-grade intercept of 2.4 metres @ 701 g/t silver equivalent from BD20012 and the interpreted fluid conduit. Gold and copper are also anomalous within this structure with peak assays of 5.41 g/t gold and 0.44% copper.
Results from BD20015 included 1.0 metre @ 542 g/t silver equivalent (517 g/t silver, 0.32% zinc, 0.28 % lead) from 241 metres; and 1.0 metre @ 542 g/t silver equivalent (402 g/t silver, 0.02% zinc, 3.35 % lead) from 282 metres.
Hole BD20014 was drilled to extend the Northwest Zone to the north of current known limits, while BD20016 tested a western and southern extension of BRC12037 (4 metres @ 1007 g/t silver equivalent) and intersected several narrow high-grade zones.
Intercept calculations from recent results from the Northwest High-Grade Zone are as shown below.
With the latest results, the Northwest High-Grade Zone is now defined as 1 metre to 20 metres thick, 200 metres width (east to west), and continues down plunge/dip to the northwest for at least 300 metres. The company said that this zone is not yet closed off and drilling presents further potential for expansion.
Updates and next steps
The company said that two more holes, BD20018 and BD20019, are drilled and pending completion of assay results.
Silver Mines said that drilling is on-going with a priority to target and define the location and orientation of the feeder structures to the Bowdens Silver Deposit. This includes testing the Northwest Zone and the potential for high-grade zones linking the Northwest Zone to the Main Zone.