Bellavista Resources advised that the diamond drilling rig has arrived at its Brumby zinc-copper-silver project in WA, paving the way for the start of the Company's maiden drilling program. The 2,000m diamond drilling program by Bellavista's drilling partners DDH1 is aimed at extending the strike and dip extent of the Brumby SEDEX zinc-silver-copper system, targeting areas where high-grade mineralisation may exist. Previous drilling at Brumby has outlined a mineralisation footprint over 30sqkm, highlighting the potential for a substantial base metal system in a highly desirable location 130km south-west of Newman.

In addition to the known mineralisation, geophysics modelling has resulted in the identification of numerous highly prospective walk-up drilling targets at Brumby. The geophysics modelling has identified coincident gravity and electromagnetic anomalies interpreted to be lithological and/or structural targets within and on extension to the large Brumby mineralised footprint. Representatives from the Nharnuwangga Wajarri and Ngarlawangga community (NNW) joined Bellavista's Exploration Manager, Natalia Brunacci, for a helicopter-assisted heritage assessment and monitoring of drill pad locations for the initial phase 1 drill program.

Plans are also in place to complete further ground-based heritage clearances with their indigenous stakeholders this quarter. This will allow Bellavista to seamlessly move into Stage 2 drilling and planned regional programs with all heritage matters considered. With the assistance of the local pastoral managers and staff from Mt Vernon and Tangadee Stations, final access track levelling and drill pad preparations were completed last week after some weather delays.

A drilling camp location has also been selected for contractors DDH1 for this and future field programs at Brumby. Bellavista is looking to partner with its stakeholders in its region of operations, including indigenous groups, pastoral businesses, and service providers to maximise local business and employment opportunities. This modelling has bolstered priority targets and identified robust targets in the regional tenement holdings.

Two priority coincident EM and gravity targets have emerged from the modelling. A mid to late time conductor has been observed in the centre of the basin. This is coincident with the axis of the host anti-form and may represent a structural target (thickening) where the host SEDEX mineralisation interacts with the axial plane of the fold.

A second, multi-line conductor is present on the northwest flank of the Brumby system, also coincident with a localised gravity high. This appears to be stratigraphic and could represent a thicker zone of sulphides to target closer to the basin edge. Bellavista plans to test both target areas in the upcoming phase 1 and phase 2 drilling programs. Regionally, several targets have been identified as possible Brumby repeats.

In a zone due east of Brumby, a broad gravity high exists where the same host anti-form closes off in an easterly direction. This area may represent a stratigraphically similar fold host to the Brumby mineralisation. Further west on the Mt Vernon project, two zones of gravity highs were noted to be coincident with mapped axial planes of two separate anti-forms. These may represent additional Brumby-style targets.

All regional gravity targets identified require infill surveys, planned for later this year, to refine and provide vectors to areas for drill testing. Regional field programs are also planned to kick-off during this quarter with the recent arrival of Bellavista's field vehicles. Field staff are expected to complete initial field surveys at the Kiangi Uranium Target as well as carry out mapping and reconnaissance sampling across the 130km extent of the Edmund Basin Projects.

In many cases this is the first field assessment and sampling in over 25 years, in some cases, perhaps the first time the areas have ever been explored. Bellavista plans to undertake an initial assessment of all target areas for base metals on the Vernon Project, uranium and associated precious metals on the Kiangi Target and an initial assessment of the nickel-PGE potential on the Vernon and Gorge Creek mafic-ultramafic intrusives.