Kingston Resources Limited (ASX: KSN) has encountered significant intersections of gold mineralisation from the recent drilling campaign at Umuna East, part of its 2.8Moz Misima Gold Project in Papua New Guinea.
Highlights from the initial assays received from Umuna East include: 12m @ 1.31g/t Au from 2m; 14.6m @ 0.96g/t Au from 11.4m including 3.6m @ 1.59g/t Au and 3m @ 1.11g/t Au; 4m @ 0.97g/t Au including 2m @ 1.49g/t Au from surface; 10m @ 0.96g/t Au including 4m @ 1.5g/t Au from 28m; 6m @ 2.32g/t Au from 80m; 4m @ 1.11g/t Au from 37m; 7m @ 0.98g/t Au from 42m; 3.3m @ 1.04g/t Au from 59.6m; and 2.3m @ 2.54g/t Au from 125.3m.
Managing Director, Andrew Corbett, said the results confirm the presence of significant gold mineralisation close to surface and continuing at depth at Umuna East, which is located just 500m east of the historical Umuna pit and within the existing Inferred Resource.
Mr Corbett said the results are expected to contribute towards a potential upgrade and extension of the Resource at Misima.
This is another important step towards our objective of delineating multiple areas of shallow mineralisation which can underpin potential starter pits at Misima.
“Coming on the back of the great results delivered recently at both Quartz Mountain and Misima North, Umuna East is now also showing excellent potential to host the shallow, low strip mineralisation that our exploration strategy is focused on delivering.
“It is a credit to the Kingston exploration team that we now have three areas each with strong potential to provide early mill feed as part of our Misima development strategy.
“The exploration success in each of these areas also demonstrates the under-explored nature of Misima Island despite the extensive mining history and large-scale resource we already have in place.
“Looking ahead, drilling activity is now focused on the Stage 2 drilling programme back in the Quartz Mountain area, in particular Ewatinona and Abi as we look to upgrade and potentially expand the Inferred Resource in that area.
“Following that programme, we then plan to return to Misima North and Umuna East for Stage 2 drilling.”
Misima, which currently hosts a JORC resource of 2.8Moz Au, was operated as a profitable open pit mine by Placer Pacific between 1989 and 2001, producing over 3.7Moz before it was closed when the gold price was below US$300/oz.