Askari Metals Limited, an Australia based exploration company with a portfolio of battery metals (Li + Cu) and gold projects across Western Australia, Northern Territory and New South Wales, is pleased to announce that the Company has commenced the second phase of RC drilling on its 100% owned Burracoppin Gold Project, located in the eastern wheatbelt along strike of Ramelius Resources Edna May Gold Mine in Western Australia.
The Company’s Phase I drilling program intersected multiple mineralised structures at Christmas Gift, Benbur and Easter Gift, and identified geological characteristics such as the potential for steeply plunging high-grade shoots, in addition to identifying potentially untested mineralised zones at Lone Tree. The Company has also completed a High Definition magnetic survey, which identified several potentially mineralised structures.
The second phase of RC drilling commenced at Burracoppin with the first hole collared on 8 February 2022. The second phase of drilling was designed using historical drill data, the Company’s Phase I drill results and the new magnetic data.
Several targets were identified by the work leading up to the design, and several individual phases were designed. The third phase of RC drilling is planned to commence in the second quarter of 2022 and will be testing additional targets along strike and on parallel structures as well as infill holes where required.
Vice President – Exploration and Geology, Mr Johan Lambrechts, commented:
“We are thrilled to commence the second phase of RC drilling on our Burracoppin Gold Project. The first phase returned several positive results and we are excited to test and explore them further. This second phase tests an area historically covered by a shallow five-meter deep oxide mine. During phase one, the Company drilled two holes below the area and received results of 4m at 4.27g/t and 2m at 2.38g/t from beneath the laterite cover, highlighting its potential. The following phases will focus on other areas, testing their mineralisation potential.
While the Company is testing the gold mineralisation at Burracoppin, we are also maintaining focus on our recently acquired Lithium projects in the Pilbara and Northern Territory. We look forward to keeping our shareholders informed on the progress on these lithium projects as well.”
Drilling
The design of the second phase focused on an area west of the Benbur historical mine and below an area previously mined by a shallow oxide mine. Phase one drill results from the Company’s inaugural drilling campaign intersected high-grade results at depth, deserving follow up.
These results include 4m @ 4.27 g/t Au from 25m in ABRC010, including 2m @ 7.88 g/t Au from 25m, as well as 2m @ 2.38 g/t Au from 22m in ABRC013.
The area also includes several physical characteristics that provides additional weight to its mineralisation potential and scalability of the area. One such feature is that the mineralisation is associated with a ridge that follows the structural orientation as indicated by the high definition magnetic survey completed by the Company.
Mineralising fluids passing through the structures often alter the host rock, increasing its resistance to weathering and resulting in a topographic anomaly. The Company believes the association of the mineralised intersections with the topographic anomaly is a reason for further testing.
The map below illustrates the location of the drill holes for the Phase II RC drilling campaign at the Burracoppin Gold Project. The Phase II drill hole collar locations are highlighted with the yellow outline whilst the Phase III program will test strike extensions and parallel structures as highlighted by the areas in the red outline, being Burgess Find, Easter Gift, Lone Tree, Benbur (strike extensions) and Christmas Gift.
The Company looks forward to keeping shareholders informed as progress continues with the Phase II drilling program at Burracoppin and as the Company accelerates the exploration on its exciting portfolio of lithium projects within Western Australia and the Northern Territory.