The BTZ gold project spatially overlaps and is encompassed by Ardea's tenure at Goongarrie. Several of the intercepts being reported represent follow-up drilling to previous discoveries (
Additionally, recent programs have identified anomalism throughout many of the target areas that will provide a valuable first step towards possible future gold discoveries (BD-X3, BD-X4, Goongarrie West, Brighton-Grafters line of lode)
Ardea's Managing Director,
The Ardea Team are also awaiting assay results from other gold targets recently drilled and look forward to providing updates on these, as information becomes available.' Ardea continues to work towards quantifying the gold camp at and around the KNP Goongarrie Hub. The prime objective of the gold exploration is to map out KNP infrastructure sites, but cognisant that the definition of potential gold revenue streams will maximise return to shareholders. Mineralisation discovered to date could be monetised through custom milling. With further success, a standalone Goongarrie gold operation would be expected to significantly improve future KNP infrastructure utilization
A series of results from RC and diamond drilling continue to build the Lily Albany story. The RC program aimed to extend gold mineralisation in the oxidised zone, whilst the diamond drilling aimed to defined controls on the primary gold mineralization
Diamond drilling at Lily Albany successfully intercepted several potential zones of mineralisation. An initial diamond hole was cancelled at 64m following drilling problems and the second hole ALAD0002 was completed to 301m in the Main Lode zone. Gold was intercepted at several intervals throughout the upper 200m of the drill hole in both oxidised and fresh rock. The most interesting intercepts are: ALAD0002 6.8m at 1.48g/t Au from 51m including 3.8m at 2.26g/t Au from 51m and 9m at 1.53g/t Au from 170m including 3m at 3.29g/t Au from 170m The mineralised zone is characterised as follows: Strong alteration and shearing are evident in the host dolerite.
Alteration comprises a locally intense quartz-sericite-pyrite-chalcopyrite assemblage.
Near the centre of the Main Lode, there is a thick quartz(-pyrite-tourmaline-chalcopyrite) vein.
Pervasive alteration is present up and down hole from this Main Lode.
Structural data has confirmed that the body dips steeply WSW, as previously interpreted. The characteristics of this zone are entirely consistent with the orogenic gold style of mineralisation typical of the
Lily Albany RC drill program results
The most recent drilling comprised fifteen extensional oxide zone RC drill holes for 2,122m. Additionally, two diamond drill holes for structural interpretation and geo-mechanics were completed for 365m. This recent RC drill program aimed to define the extent of supergene gold distributions throughout the discovery area. To this end, a smaller RC rig was used that could not penetrate to fresh rock, so this program did not test primary gold mineralisation at depth.
As such, fresh gold mineralisation in bedrock remains open at depth. Because of the depth of transported cover and saprolite, some of the planned RC holes in the more highly mineralised areas were postponed pending the availability of a larger and more powerful rig capable of reliably penetrating water saturated clays and into fresh rock below.
Gold intersections continued to confirm current interpretations of the Lily Albany mineralisation. Coherent gold distributions are now following established patterns, enabling prediction of mineralisation geometries. Intercepts were widespread and included: These results further confirm continuity of the extensive saprolitic gold mineralisation with gold mineralisation open in every direction. This almost certainly reflects primary mineralisation at depth. Work will commence on modelling the saprolitic gold mineralisation to evaluate its potential for open pit mining.
BD-X3 and BD-X4 targets
The BD-X3 and BD-X4 targets are located south and along strike of the historic Goongarrie Gold Mining Centre immediately east of the KNP Goongarrie Hub proposed plant site in an area where the natural topography had been selected as a process water storage site and/or retention pond for water shed from the plant site. The areas were targeted for gold assessment for several reasons, including: Their proximity east of the Pamela Jean and
The areas are located between 3 and 6km south directly along strike from the main Goongarrie Mining Centre, and less than 1km south of the southernmost workings at Duffer and Junction.
The area is mostly covered by a mantle of transported material that has discouraged historic exploration.
Analogous structures to those controlling gold mineralisation at Goongarrie are clearly defined in Ardea geophysical interpretations throughout the BD-X targets.
Brighton-Grafters Gold
Trend First pass shallow reconnaissance aircore drilling has shown extensive anomalism along the Brighton-Grafters Trend on granted mining licence M29/426 within the KNP Goongarrie Hub. The trend, which lies between the historic Brighton gold mine at Goongarrie and the Grafters workings south of Lady Charlotte, and between
Goongarrie West
Like the Brighton-Grafters trend, several distinct sites were selected for RC drilling and returned anomalism that is currently being interrogated. Further work at Goongarrie West should utilise widely spaced lines of aircore drilling to define gold anomalism and ground water distributions. The host mafic Missouri Basalt contains significant gold deposits 20km west at the
Windanya
Ardea's Windanya Prospect is located 50km northwest of the City of Kalgoorlie-Boulder and is a significant historical gold mining centre. Batches of samples from the recent Windanya diamond drill hole have been dispatched to the laboratory for analysis. The drill hole aimed to intercept several structures including the main Half
The site is within 20km of proposed KNP borefields so is within pumping distance of the Goongarrie plant site.
Contact:
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Advanced-stage exploration at compelling nickel sulphide, Critical Mineral and gold targets within the KNP Eastern Goldfields world-class nickel-gold province, with all exploration targets complementing the KNP nickel development strategy
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