Mandrake Resources Limited (ASX: MAN) has commenced a reverse circulation (RC) drilling programme targeting high-grade gold and copper mineralisation at the 100%-owned Berinka Pine Creek Gold Project in the Northern Territory.
In mid-2020, Mandrake undertook frontier drilling at Berinka targeting two greenfield prospects, Vegetation Anomaly and Terry’s Gap, identified from aeromagnetics and historic gold results derived from costeans.
The programme in 2020 was curtailed by difficult ground conditions and rig breakdown. RC hole FBRC005 at Vegetation Anomaly returned the following high-grade gold-silver-copper intercept: 3m @ 1.8 g/t Au, 32 g/t Ag and 2.1% Cu from 124m including; 1m @ 3.7 g/t Au, 69 g/t Ag and 3.1% Cu from 124m
Gold appears to be hosted in a series of veins in close proximity to a faulted contact between a gabbro and granite and is associated with sulphides, particularly pyrite and chalcopyrite (copper).
The current drilling programme aims to follow up the encouraging 2020 drilling programme results and test five other prospects in the immediate vicinity.
The programme comprises approximately 1,410m of RC drilling across 10 holes. The RC rig engaged has the ability to convert to diamond drilling as dictated by ground conditions, allowing for diamond tails if warranted.
Soil and Rock Chip Sampling
In July and August 2022, Mandrake carried out soil and rock chip sampling at Berinka with a view to refining existing prospects and generating new targets. Infill soil sampling was carried out in two areas to follow up gold in soil anomalism in a soil sampling program carried out by Discovery Nickel Limited (DNL) in 2004.
Soil samples were taken at 50m sample spacings to infill the existing grid to 200m line spacings. A total of 56 (+1 standard for a total of 57) samples were collected along five lines. Soils were taken at 0.1-0.4m depth and sieved to 1.5mm in the field. Notes on soil type and outcrop were taken.
The infill soil sampling returned a peak result of 236 ppb Au. This sample appears to validate the DNL peak soil result of 250ppb Au on a line 200m to the north. A follow up program of closer spaced (25m x 50m) infill soil sampling between the two lines is warranted.
