Torian Resources Limited (ASX:TNR) has confirmed the extension of the Mt Stirling gold system in announcing the results from a further two sections (four drill holes) from Phase 1 of the Mt Stirling drill programme in Western Australia.
The Phase 1 programme of 31 RC holes for 5,767m confirmed and extended the Mt Stirling gold system over 480m of strike, on 40m centre drill spacings.
These results continue to confirm our theory that Mt Stirling contains a much larger gold system than what has been previously thought,” Executive Director, Peretz Schapiro, said.
“What excites us about the current set of results is that we have intercepted significant gold grade nearly 100m beyond our previously defined resource. This, coupled with the fact that we have increased the grade by 20% on historical drill holes that were used in the previous resource estimate, gives us great confidence that when our interim resource is completed in the first quarter of this year, we may see a significant upgrade to our tonnage and gold ounces.
“Following a short break over the holiday period, our geological and drilling teams are already back on site, concluding the phase 2 SE and NW extensions of the Mt Stirling resource, as we continue to work on proving up additional ounces at both our Mt Stirling and Stirling Well deposits.
“2021 is shaping up to be an exciting year for our Company as we anticipate significant news flow over the coming weeks and months. We eagerly await the results from an additional 25 drillholes from phase one of the Mt Stirling programme, along with results from 18 drillholes at Stirling Well, 21 exploratory drill holes from the greenfields at Diorite and the results from our Phase 2 drilling at Mt Stirling.”
The Mt Stirling gold system’s mineralised endowment includes wide shear zone gold-bearing zones, chlorite-quartz schist associated gold, high grade narrow vein lode(s), and porphyry footwall contact gold mineralised zones.
Multiple significant sulphide mineralisation intercepts, associated with pyrite and arsenopyrite (chloritic, silicified, carbonate and biotite alteration) have been intercepted on every section of the extensional drilling, with initial assays on sections 1400N/1440N and 1480N confirming broad Au mineralisation, down-dip and extension continuity.
Analysis by the Photon Assay method (500g) have increased historical twinned drill hole grades (SWC127 40g FA and MSRC002 / Aqua Regia) by around 20%. These initial results are significant for global grade, tonnage and cut-off considerations.
Mr Schapiro said the Phase 2 (Mt Stirling SE extension) is nearing completion with 14 of the 18 planned drill holes completed for 2,410m. He said the structural target model could extend the Mt Stirling gold system ~380m to the SE, where one of the key objectives is to test the interpreted Shear Zone position, and quantify a previously drilled, significant intercept of 10m @ 2.34 g/t Au(from 33m in MSRC024) including 4m @ 5.30 g/t Au(from 33m) and 2m @ 7.60 g/t Au(from 35m); proof of concept that Mt Stirling is a much larger mineralised-strike gold system than previously thought.
The subsequent Phase 2 (Mt Stirling NW extension) will test subtle historical shallow Au mineralised trends, where Torian has discovered highly prospective Arsenic leaking structures interpreted to be the surface expression of perhaps the centre of the Mt Stirling gold system.
This will be followed by a Phase 3 drill programme (of combined RC and diamond drilling) which will vector on the plunge of the system across the entire interpreted 1,250m strike.