Final assay results from phase 3 drilling at Askari Metals’ Burracoppin project show continuity of high-grade mineralisation at its Easter Gift prospect with the headline result a 1m hit coming in at an impressive 45.5 grams per tonne gold.
The greater than ounce to tonne intercept at the site in WA’s Wheatbelt region was contained within a wider 3m section going 17.41 g/t gold from 73m that also included 1m at 2.18 g/t from 74m and 1m recording 4.54 g/t gold from 75m.
Askari says the assays from Easter Gift indicate high-grade mineralisation at depth and it is the second time the company has recorded results above 45 g/t gold at Burracoppin after previously tabling a 0.5m hit at 48.6 g/t gold from 19.5m in May this year.
40 RC holes were drilled in June for 3639m at the Wheatbelt project with significant results including a 1m hit going 9.54 grams per tonne gold from 31m within a broader 6m strike running 2.37 g/t from 31m.
The campaign was designed as an extensional program targeting potential strike extensions at Burgess Find, Christmas Gift, Benbur, Easter Gift and Lone Tree.
Askari says mineralisation was identified in all of the areas around Lone Tree, Benbur East and Easter Gift and demonstrates gold mineralisation extends into areas that were previously untested.
Assay highlights from the Lone Tree prospect were led by a 3m intersection going 1.9 g/t from 97m including 1m at 4.41 g/t gold from 99m.
Askari Metals Exploration and Geology Vice President, Johan Lambrechts said: “We are especially thrilled by another 45 g/t Au result, indicating that the project has the potential for ounce to the ton material. The next step is to update the 3D geological model of the project, for use with future exploration designs.”
Burracoppin is one of Askari’s flagship projects and boasts some impressive historical drill hits including 18m at an average grade of 5.64 grams per tonne gold from surface, 14m at 13.7 g/t from 32m and 2m at 9.1 g/t from 18m.
Rock chip sampling work done by previous owners also yielded mouth-watering gold values including 71.39 g/t, 63.97 g/t, 63.15 g/t, 41.88 g/t, 29.7 g/t and 15.1 g/t.
The second phase of drilling at Burracoppin struck mineralisation west of the site’s main historical workings, delivering a standout intercept of 2.5m going 11.24 grams per tonne gold within the stellar 8.5m strike running 4.88 g/t gold from 19.5m.
Less than 25km to the north-east of the Burracoppin project is ASX-listed Ramelius Resources’ Edna May processing plant and gold mine where Ramelius is sitting on a mineral resource of 31 million tonnes grading 1 gram per tonne gold for a total of 990000 ounces contained. More than 1 million ounces of gold have been produced from the mine over time, with annual production ranging between 66000 and 99000 ounces since 2011.
Askari says it will use the results from its phase 3 exploration campaign to update its 3D geological model of the project in addition to setting targets for further phases of drilling. It is also awaiting results from a maiden drill campaign at the company’s Horry copper and gold project in the Kimberley.
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By Matt Birney
