Black Cat Syndicate Limited (ASX:BC8) is preparing to undertake a underground drilling programme at the Paulsens Gold Operation in WA.
Highlights
We are looking forward to recommencing drilling at the 1Moz Paulsens deposit for the first time since 2017,” Managing Director, Gareth Solly, said.
“This is a high-grade gold system that proved a profitable foundation asset for previous operators. We will be working numerous targets already identified adjacent to the existing workings as we unlock the potential for new lodes. Our plan is to quickly grow the underlying Resources in the area and breath life back into this sensational deposit.”
Paulsens
Paulsens is located in the Ashburton Basin in the Eastern Pilbara region of WA. Black Cat completed the acquisition of Paulsens in June 2022. To date, the mine has produced (recovered) 907koz @ 7.3g/t Au and currently hosts an underground Resource of 89koz @ 5.9g/t Au for a total endowment of >1 million ounces.
Paulsens sits on the southwestern margin of the Pilbara craton in a classic orogenic gold setting dominated by the crustal scale Nanjilgardy Fault Zone, which holsts several multi-million-ounce gold deposits in secondary splays along much of the strike length of this fault, including Karlawinda (2.1Moz Au) and Mt Olympus (1.65Moz Au).
Known mineralisation at Paulsens is hosted in a fault splay off the Nanjilgardy Fault that offsets the Paulsens Mine Gabbro by up to 100m dip displacement, with quartz vein swarms within this fault zone hosting the majority of known mineralisation.
Kalgoorlie-based mining and maintenance contractor HP Mechanical is currently on site establishing underground drilling platforms. Underground diamond drilling of high priority targets will commence in late October 2022. The 2022 drilling programme will initially focus on three high priority areas being: Paulsens Repeat, Apollo Down Plunge and the Gabbro Veins.
Paulsens Repeat
During 2018, a ~$2 million, 3D seismic survey was completed at Paulsens. The survey, and subsequent confirmatory drilling, identified a second gabbro unit (Lower Gabbro) similar to the Paulsens Mine Gabbro ~200m below the mine workings.
Based on interpretations of the 3D seismic data, the Lower Gabbro appears to be cut by the same fault that hosts the bulk of mineralisation at Paulsens, developing a similar structural setting to Paulsens ~200m below and subparallel to the existing mine workings. The interpreted target zone has a strike length of ~1,250m and has not been drilled previously. Given the structural similarities between this target zone and the Paulsens deposit, this target is considered prospective to host a similar style of mineralisation and is a priority drill target for the upcoming program.
The potential for a “Paulsens Repeat”, includes:
As Paulsens produced 907koz @ 7.3g/t Au, the prospectivity of the Paulsens Repeat target is considered high. The 3D seismic survey also identified additional targets where similarly orientated regional splay faults intersect untested gabbro positions the south and west of the mine.
Apollo Down Plunge
Apollo is a near surface lode immediately east of the underground decline. Mining of Apollo was undertaken between 2006 and 2009, producing ~23koz @ 6.8g/t Au. Due to the proximity of Apollo to surface and decline infrastructure, any drilling success can be readily incorporated into mine planning.
Apollo currently has a Resource of 13koz @ 6.9g/t Au and mineralisation is interpreted to be open down plunge based on historical intersections outside of current Resources, including1:
Drill holes in the upcoming programme will test for the down plunge extensions of Apollo.
Gabbro Veins
Black Cat has identified a series of narrow high-grade quartz veins within the Paulsens Mine Gabbro that are interpreted to form a semi-continuous network of veining (Gabbro Veins). The Gabbro Veins are located sub-parallel to the decline and potentially extend over a strike of ~1,000m.
Importantly, many of these identified veins are not included in the current Resource. High-grade historic intersections outside of Resources include:
Demonstrating grade and geological continuity of these structures has the potential to rapidly increase Resources. The location of the veins, in close proximity to existing infrastructure, has the potential for the areas to be readily incorporated into mine planning. A total of 22 diamond holes are planned to test the Gabbro Veins during 2022.