Xantippe Resources (ASX: XTC) is well on track to drill its maiden 17-hole RC drilling programme at the recently acquired Southern Cross Gold Project Western Australia.
A Programme of Works (POW) for the drilling campaign, which is anticipated to total approximately 2,500m drilled, has been submitted to the Western Australian Department of Mines, Industry Regulation and Safety (DMIRS).
Managing Director Richard Henning said the programme will seek to drill between 100 – 150m holes, given prior exploration has never adequately tested the potential below 100m.
He added that Xantippe has also appointed a highly-experienced local drilling company to commence work at site, pending approval of the POW, expected in the next few weeks
The company anticipates the commencement of drilling by March 2020.
“With the recent acquisition of the Southern Cross Gold project completed, it is exceptionally pleasing to be able to present our maiden exploration programme to test some of the high-grade targets which attracted the company to the Southern Cross region,” Mr Henning said.
The Southern Cross project is a large project area consisting of approximately 76 sq. km of consolidated tenure and the exploration plan will use a modern and systematic approach to unlock a number of key targets.
“Most importantly, we will be looking below 100m depth for the first time in this high-grade mineral field.
“The company is entering an exciting period with maiden drilling fast approaching and our first results shortly thereafter.”
The exploration plan at Southern Cross has delineated a number of key sites for inspection, with drilling to occur at major prospects, including: Glendower, Xantippe and Treasury South.
Drilling is designed to validate historical results and test the geometry and extents of previously identified mineralisation.
Mr Henning said that in addition to drilling below previously drilled depths, the company will look to expand the known mineralised zones of exiting targets, as well as uncover new targets in prospective areas.
The Southern Cross Project is located 380 km east of Perth and south east of Southern Cross in the Yilgarn Goldfield.
The project comprises 20 Prospecting Licences and 2 Exploration Licences with a combined area of around 76 km2, over contiguous tenements cover around 30km of strike of the Southern Cross Greenstone Belt, which has historically produced around 15Moz gold, predominantly from the Marvel Loch and Southern Cross centres, both of which are in operation to varying extents.
