Gold explorer DiscovEx Resources has discovered multiple gold anomalies at its Sylvania project, 15km south-west of Newman in WA, after combing through its ground with a geochemical surface sampling program. Multiple anomalous trends above 15 parts per billion gold at the company’s newly identified Contact prospect were delineated over a 2km strike length within prospective Archean greenstone rocks.
The best result included a single sample with a grade of 0.09 grams per tonne of gold from an outcropping quartz vein.
The 283-sample geochemical program was completed on a 100-by-100m grid pattern that included both soil and rock chip samples.
The program was designed to test the north-west trending sequence of Sylvania’s prospective volcanic sediments, fine-grained mafic rocks and banded iron formation.
Multiple pathfinder elements including elevated levels of arsenic, silver and antimony were also revealed in the samples.
DiscovEx Managing Director, Toby Wellman says:“The company’s objective since acquiring the Sylvania project was to implement a target generation phase of work based around systematic exploration. The strategy has led to a number of highly encouraging prospects being identified, with Contact being a strong addition to this prospect pipeline.”
The rocks containing the anomalies are interpreted by DiscovEx as being analogous in age to those hosting Capricorn Metals’ 2.1-million-ounce Karlawinda project, 60km south-east of Sylvania.
Capricorn produced its first gold pour of 386 ounces at Karlawinda in June last year.
DiscovEx has engaged with the Traditional Owners to schedule a Heritage survey at the Contact prospect, in anticipation of testing the numerous anomalies with air core drilling.
Clearance has already been given to drill the Peak, Hilditch, Dingo and Bondinis prospects, scheduled to begin in early July.
An induced polarisation survey has been proposed to determine if there is a disseminated sulphide component beneath the surface gold anomalies.
Earlier this year the company wrapped up a field exploration campaign that included gravity-based geophysics, geochemical sampling and a heritage survey.
It is now preparing to complete mapping, sampling and more geophysics en route to a maiden drill program at the project.
The field work undertaken at Sylvania has been centred around refining the current list of targets and uncovering new structures that could house both gold and base metal mineralisation.
Previous exploration took in an extensive phase-one gravity survey, that identified several geological and structural target areas, including the Kelpie and Prairie Downs West prospects.
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By Matt Birney
