Challenger Exploration (ASX: CEL) has confirmed that step out drill hole from drillhole GNDD-182 has recorded a significant gold intersection at the company’s flagship Hualilan Gold project in San Juan province, Argentina.
Hole GNDD-182 intersected 4.3m @ 36.6 g/t AuEq- 31.8 g/t Au, 97 g/t Ag, 8.1% Zn from 149m, including 3.5m at 45.5 g/t AuEq- 39.6 g/t Au, 118 g/t Ag, 10.0% Zn from 149m.
Managing Director, Kris Knauer, said the hole was designed to confirm that drill hole GNDD-128 (20.0m at 0.5 g/t AuEq), collared 50m to the west of GNDD-139 (207.5m at 0.8 g/t AuEq) had defined the western limit of the zone of intrusion-hosted mineralisation in the Gap Zone.
GNDD-182 recorded an intersection of 19m at 0.4 g/t AuEq (0.4 g/t gold, 1.0 g/t silver, 0.1% zinc) from 92m, hosted in shales which is consistent with marker mineralisation in the shale which overlies blind mineralisation in the intrusive.
Our Flagship Hualilan project continues to deliver great results,” Mr Knauer said.
“This intersection was a little different from most of our recent drilling in that it was a complete surprise. The hole was designed to confirm the edge of the intrusion-hosted mineralisation in the Gap Zone.
“The last thing we were expecting that far west was high grade skarn mineralisation that looks, and assays, exactly like the Main Manto at Cerro Norte.
“This is the first time we have seen skarn on the western side of the intrusives and it opens a whole new area to explore for high-grade extensions across the entire project. We will collar a hole to test immediately down dip in the coming days and I, for one, can’t wait to see what we find.
“I have spoken at length to our team on the ground and they are extremely encouraged by this new discovery.”
GNDD-182 was collared 200 metres south-west of the nearest hole to intersect high-grade skarn mineralisation (GNDD-035). GNDD-035 intersected 5.75 metres at 11.5 g/t AuEq (9.5 g/t gold, 29 g/t silver, 3.5 % zinc) from 89 metres including a higher-grade zone of 3.15 metres at 19.9 g/t AuEq (17.1 g/t gold, 29 g/t silver 5.6 % zinc). At the time, GNDD-035 had itself extended the high-grade Main Manto mineralisation 100m south along strike into the Gap Zone.
Mr Knauer said this is the first time the high-grade Main Manto skarn mineralisation has been intersected to the west of the intrusives in the Gap Zone which opens significant scope to expand the high-grade skarn to the west. The mineralisation remains open down dip and the company intends to fast track a drill hole to test for extensions to this mineralisation 40-50 metres down dip.