Sunshine Gold Limited (ASX: SHN) has announced highly encouraging first results from RC drilling at Super Hans prospect and further results from infill drilling at Bald Hill West prospect within its Triumph project in Northern New England Orogen.
The company reported that its maiden drilling program at Super Hans intersected a thick, shallow zone of mineralisation with high grades. Significant results included 21SHRC002 16m @ 5.48 g/t Au from 34m including 7m @ 10.64 g/t Au from 34m.
Further results from Bald Hill West first pass drilling included 21BHRC013 2m @ 4.65 g/t Au from 33m including 1m @ 8.77 g/t Au from 33m.
SHN said that Triumph drilling to date totals 4,598m of a planned 7,500m program. The company noted that extensive geochemical data review defines new geological concept at Triumph.
Triumph Project
The Triumph project comprises six significant prospects – Bald Hill West, Bald Hill East, New Constitution, Advance, Super Hans, and Big Hans.
Historic drill results
The company had conducted drilling in 2018 at Super Hans. Significant results included TDH124 2m @ 7.57 g/t Au from 1m and 4m @ 2.27 g/t Au from 12m; TDH182 3m @ 6.46 g/t Au from 6m and 3m @ 1.08 g/t Au from 25m; TDH181 3m @ 5.01 g/t Au from 20m; TDH192 22m @ 1.10 g/t Au from 12m including 6m @ 1.96 g/t Au from 17m; and TDH184 3m @ 2.09 g/t Au from 22m.
At Bald Hill West, previous programs had yielded results including 12m @ 13.42 g/t Au (9m, TDH039), 9m @ 3.59 g/t Au (114m, TDH008), and 11m @ 3.03 g/t Au (46m, TDH046).
Drilling at Triumph
The company had recently commenced a 7,500m RC drilling program at Triumph. Sunshine noted that the Triumph drilling to date totals 4,598m of a planned 7,500m program.
SHN said that at Super Hans, six holes (420m) were drilled in January 2021 to follow up on previous, shallow, high-grade intersections. Sunshine Gold also completed broad spaced, infill drilling at Bald Hill West in January 2021. Thirteen RC holes were drilled for 1,330m adding to the 866m drilled in late 2020.
The company has now announced encouraging first results from RC drilling at Super Hans and infill drilling at Bald Hill West.
Super Hans
SHN said that results were received for four of the six holes drilled at Super Hans. The drilling returned thick intersections including 21SHRC001 10m @ 2.96 g/t Au from 11m including 7m @ 4.06 g/t Au from 11m; 21SHRC002 16m @ 5.48 g/t Au from 34m including 7m @ 10.64 g/t Au from 34m; 21SHRC003 3m @ 12.95 g/t Au from 30m; 21SHRC004 4m @ 1.80 g/t Au from 33m and 2m @ 1.81 g/t Au from 53m.
Bald Hill West
The company said that first pass drilling was completed in January 2021 (13 holes for 1,330m) at Bald Hill West.
Results from the thirteen holes included 21BHRC013 2m @ 4.65 g/t Au from 33m including 1m @ 8.77 g/t Au from 33m; 21BHRC014 2m @ 1.35 g/t Au from 46m; 21BHRC015 2m @ 1.73 g/t Au from 78m; 21BHRC016 4m @ 1.11 g/t Au from 89m; and 21BHRC010 2m @ 1.30 g/t Au from 49m.
Next steps
The company said that first pass drill testing has now been completed at Bonneville, Bald Hill West, Super Hans, Big Hans, New Constitution, and Brigham Young. Approximately 3,000m remains to be drilled of the 7,500m program.
SHN said that in line with the new geological concept, a significant amount of drilling will be refocussed into the Super Hans, Big Hans, and New Constitution systems.
The company said that reconnaissance drilling will also test portions of the Norton Fault, especially near the intersections with known mineralisation. A small program will also test a coincident geochemical and geophysical target inferred to run parallel to the Norton Fault west of Bald Hill.
SHN’s ongoing work includes the continuation of 7,500m RC drilling program at Triumph in June 2021 quarter, including completion of 3,000m of RC drilling programs over Super Hans, Big Hans, and New Constitution; release of Triumph drilling results; and continuation of drone surveys over the southern Triumph area.
Upcoming milestones
The company announced the following upcoming milestones.
February 2021: Interpretation of airborne magnetic survey and integration into targeting models at Hodgkinson.
March 2021: Audited half-year financial results.
March 17 – 18 2021: Australian Energy and Minerals Investor Conference.
March 26, 2021: Last date for exercise of Ravenswood West Option.
March 2021 quarter: Completion of detailed drone surveys over the southern Triumph prospects.
May 4 – 7 2021: Sydney RIU Conference.
June 2021 quarter: Commencement of RC drilling at Hodgkinson.
July 14 – 16 2021: Noosa Mining & Exploration Investor Conference
Management statements
Sunshine Gold’s Managing Director, Damien Keys said: “We are thrilled with the Super Hans drilling results as it has validated our new geological concept at Triumph. The thick, shallow high-grade intersections are extremely encouraging and will be followed up in March 2021. The system was previously tested by five RC holes, all of which contained potentially economic-grade intersections.
The results validate our new understanding of the geochemistry of the Triumph system, which highlights the Super Hans to New Constitution South corridor as a high-priority target zone. Drilling at Bald Hill West intersected mineralisation in the anticipated lode positions and the results will be incorporated into our new geological concept to plan the next steps.”
* Image source: Sunshine Gold Limited