White Rock Minerals Ltd: Mid-season Exploration Update - Last Chance Gold Target
Ballarat, Australia - Gold assay results for all soil sampling undertaken at White Rock Minerals Ltd.'s (ASX:WRM) Last Chance gold target have now been received. A total of 2,821 soil samples were taken with 11 samples better than 1g/t gold, a further 43 samples better than 0.4g/t gold and a further 186 samples better than 0.1g/t gold.Gold-arsenic anomalism defined by systematic soil sampling has revealed an enormous system extending for over 6km strike east-west and up to 1.2km wide north-south (Figure 1, 2 & 3*). The strongest gold-arsenic response occurs in a central area of approximately 2km strike from the Sidewinder West target to the Pickle target.
Geological reconnaissance identified a series of hydrothermal silica breccia bodies and associated narrow quartz veins distributed over 6km of east-west strike. Multiple zones of gold-arsenic-antimony anomalism are typically associated with quartz veining and hydrothermal silica breccia bodies. Both silica breccias and quartz veining show evidence of extensive anomalous gold mineralisation with rock chip assay results typically ranging between 0.1 and 2.0g/t gold.
The maiden drill program is targeting the broadest and most strongly developed zones of gold and pathfinder geochemical anomalism identified from the surface geochemical sampling. Initial drilling has been designed to provide valuable geological information with which to further interpret the geometry, orientation and relationship of important breccias and veins as well as better understand their full extent underneath talus cover. The drill program also includes a planned series of deeper holes designed to follow leakage vectors downward to test for potentially high-grade gold mineralisation at depth.
The first four diamond drill holes have been completed at the Pickle, Sidewinder West and Double Down targets with a fifth drill hole in progress at the Sidewinder Blowout target (Figure 4*). Drilling is planned to continue for the remainder of the field season, which in the Alaska Range extends into September. The next drill hole will target the high-grade soil samples at Sidewinder West (Figure 5*).
Observations from drilling to date support the earlier observations from geological reconnaissance and surface geochemical results that suggest the Last Chance gold target lies within the upper brittle domain of a large orogenic and/or Intrusion Related Gold System ("IRGS"). Hydrothermal silica breccia bodies with their associated gold-arsenic-antimony anomalism may represent upper leakage of hydrothermal fluids immediately above a zone of more favourable gold deposition. Figures 6 shows schematic sections that illustrate a possible orogenic/IRGS structural setting for the Last Chance gold target.
White Rock's Technical Advisor Dr Quinton Hennigh commented:-
"With all soil sample results now back, we are pleased to now readily see the full extent of the expansive mineralizing system at Last Chance. Drilling has been steadily progressing with few delays. To date, all of our drill holes have encountered variable amounts of quartz veining and/or silica breccia, in places with appreciable arsenopyrite and pyrite. We believe we are in the upper brittle regime of a very large orogenic and/or Intrusion Related Gold System. Our first holes were shallow and designed to provide critical structural information necessary to prepare for drilling a few deeper exploratory drill holes before season end. We are highly encouraged by observations to date and are eager to complete all planned holes before the end of season in mid to late September."
*To view tables and figures, please visit:
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About White Rock Minerals Ltd:
White Rock Minerals Ltd. (ASX:WRM) is a diversified explorer and near-stage producer, headquartered in Ballarat, Victoria. The Company's flagship exploration project is Red Mountain in central Alaska. At Red Mountain, there are already two high grade zinc - silver - gold - lead VMS deposits, with an Inferred Mineral Resource of 9.1 million tonnes @ 12.9% ZnEq for 1.1 million tonnes of contained zinc equivalent. The Company is also exploring its recently discovered large intrusion related gold anomaly at Last Chance, also located in the Tintina gold belt of Alaska, home to multi-million gold ounce deposits like Pogo, Fort Knox and the Donlin Project. The Company also has the Mt Carrington project, located near Drake, in Northern NSW, which is a near-production precious metals asset with a resource of 341,000 ounces of gold and 23.2 million ounces of silver on an approved mining lease, and with a Gold First PFS and JORC Reserve. White Rock Minerals is listed on the Australian Stock Exchange.
Source:
White Rock Minerals Ltd.
Contact:
For further information, contact: Matthew Gill or Shane Turner Phone: +61-3-5331-4644 Email: info@whiterockminerals.com.au www.whiterockminerals.com.au For Media and Broker queries: Peta Baldwin Phone: +61-455-081-008 Cannings Purple Email: pbaldwin@canningspurple.com.au
