Brightstar Resources (ASX: BTR) has obtained high-grade results substantiated by numerous observations of visible gold in both drill holes in the second round of priority assay results from the remaining two metallurgical diamond drillholes at Cork Tree Well (CTW) within the Laverton Gold Project (LGP) in WA.
These two holes were part of a broader 20 hole diamond drilling programme which has now been successfully completed.
“It is great to see further high-grades assays continuing and visible gold being observed from the diamond drilling program that has recently been completed at Cork Tree Well,” Managing Director, Alex Rovira, said.
“CTWMET003 returned an excellent high-grade, shallow intersection of 27.6m @ 17.77g/t Au from 51m, which complements the previously announced2 intersections which included a strong result of 34.4m @ 7.94g/t Au (CTWMET004) drilled 1km to the north.
“The drilling campaign represented the first diamond holes drilled at Cork Tree Well by Brightstar, with our understanding of the geology and mineralisation styles being strengthened by the knowledge being gained from this recently completed programme.
“Today’s results continue to reinforce our view that the gold mineralisation at Cork Tree Well is structurally hosted, with a mafic metadolerite host rock observed in CTWMET003 whilst gold mineralisation returned in CTWMET001 is positioned within the sedimentary package underneath the historically mined shallow open pit.”
The four metallurgical drillholes were drilled into the known orebody locations that fall within the optimised $2,750/oz pit shells generated in the 2023 Scoping Study, with CTWMET003 and CTWMET004 drilled down plunge to the orebody to deliver maximum rock mass for metallurgical testwork and CTWMET001 and CTWMET002 drilled perpendicular to the orebody and represent estimated true width.
Given the calibre of the assays received from the drilling to date, Brightstar continues to see strong potential to build on the existing 303koz @ 1.4g/t Au Mineral Resource both at depth with high-grade plunging shoots and strike extensions targeting the structurally-controlled mineralised trends.
The high-grade results returned to date are significantly higher than the current 1.4g/t Au head grade of the Mineral Resource and 1.85g/t mine grade from the 2023 Scoping Study, representing significant upside.
“We look forward to updating shareholders with more information on the diamond program, which forms the basis for metallurgical and geotechnical testwork workstreams within our ongoing Pre-Feasibility Study,” Rovira said.
Brightstar will be conducting continued analysis into the effects of the nuggety gold at Cork Tree Well, and specifically within the ‘Delta’ deposit, in future drilling programs. Metallurgical analyses in addition to re- assaying more samples using additional analytical methods (incorporating a greater sample mass) will assist with continued understanding of the nature of mineralisation. Additional analytical methods will commence with screen fire assaying to identify and better quantify the presence of coarse gold with photon analyses considered in conjunction with screen fire assaying processes.
