Viking Mines (ASX:VKA) has defined a more than 400m long gold anomaly at the Bifrost target in Western Australia, after receiving assay results from an auger drilling program.
The anomaly, which contains more than 40 parts per billion gold, overlaps with a 400m long 30 parts per million arsenic anomaly.
Arsenic has been directly associated with the gold intercepts in bedrock drilling via multielement analysis and is considered a positive indicator for potential high-grade mineralisation at Bifrost.
The company is advancing exploration work with the aim of uncovering new deposits on the newly named Riverina East Project, formerly known as the First Hit Project.
Viking Mines will continue delivering samples to the laboratory for analysis, as part of the phase two drilling program, as well as interpret the remaining assays from the Bifrost target.
Upon completion, the company will complete high-resolution magnetic geophysics to support targeting and structural interpretation to provide focus areas for follow-up drilling over the target area.
An underground mining study of the First Hit Mine will follow shortly thereafter.
CEO Julian Woodcock says the auger program delivered on its primary objective of defining the target extents and orientation.
“The company can now confidently and effectively place the follow-up drillholes to best test the target and expand from the initial discovery drill results received in VKRC0068 of 17m @ 1.1 grams per tonne,” Woodcock says.
“We have planned an initial follow-up program of seven drillholes which will be completed as part of the phase two drilling which is currently underway.
“The phase two drilling is also testing the Central Duplex Target as part of our systematic drilling over 25km strike of the Zuleika Shear, located just 4km east of the Riverina Gold Mine owned and operated by Ora Banda Mining (ASX:OBM).”
Ora Banda was the inaugural winner of the Mining.com.au Masters of Mining ‘Emerging Explorer Award’ last year. The award recognises an exploration company the market is beginning to notice due to a series of successes and positive outcomes, or whose market value has increased significantly over the course of the year, outperforming their peers.
Meanwhile, Viking Mines says the phase two work is well advanced, with 15 holes for 1,800m remaining to be drilled. At the current rate of productivity, drilling is expected to be completed early next month.
Viking Mines is a junior mineral explorer focused on its gold and battery minerals assets located in Western Australia.
Write to Aaliyah Rogan at Mining.com.au
Images: Viking Mines
