Junior gold explorer Askari Metals has swung the drill rig back into action at its Burracoppin gold project in Western Australia’s eastern wheatbelt following up a suite of shallow, high-grade gold drill results from phase one drilling. Significant assay results include 4 metres grading 4.27 grams per tonne gold from 25m downhole with an internal metre going 14.6g/t gold from 26m.
Other notable drill results from the initial campaign at Burracoppin include 2m at 2.38g/t gold from 22m downhole and 3m that gave up 3.57g/t gold from 40m.
The follow up drill program is designed to target the down dip extensions of mineralisation intersected in both historic drilling and the phase one RC exploration.
Drill targeting for the latest round has also been influenced by a recent high-definition drone magnetic survey that identified several priority “A” target structures throughout the tenement package.
Askari's 100 per cent owned Burracoppin gold project sits along strike from Ramelius Resources’ Edna May gold mine that has produced over one million ounces of gold.
Burracoppin was historically mined in the 1930’s with recorded gold grades ranging up to 49g/t gold.
The latest phase of drilling is primarily focussing on the area to the west of the Benbur historical mine and is targeting below a previously mined shallow oxide pit.
The company believes the gold system may be of a much larger scale than first thought due to the continuity of geophysical anomalies along strike of significant gold intersections. Further evidence noted by Askari includes strong alteration of the host rocks often caused by mineralising fluids that passed through. The presence of the alteration often increases resistance to weathering resulting in a topographic high anomaly that has been identified at Burracoppin on a large scale.
Askari is confident in the potential of the area and is already planning a third phase aimed at testing strike extensions and parallel structures.
With cracking shallow gold hits intersected in multiple drill holes during the company’s maiden drilling campaign, it’s no surprise Askari rolled the RC rig back in for another round so quickly. The geological signatures from all fronts look to be pointing to a large-scale gold system so Askari will no doubt be itching to keep the drill rig running over this most intriguing piece of ground.
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By Matt Birney
