ASX-listed gold explorer Barton Gold has wound up its maiden Phase 1 drilling program at its Tunkillia gold project in South Australia. Results have outlined a high-grade shallow core at the 223 deposit highlighting a potential development opportunity as a higher grade starter pit. Drilling has coughed up a slew of significant intercepts including 12 metres going 2.7 grams per tonne from 101m.
Other significant intersections include 5m grading 4.98 g/t gold from 68m, 7m going 2.20 g/t gold from 79m, 17m grading 4.31 g/t gold from 111m and 15m at 2.28 g.t from 139m – all from the same hole.
The company says the high-grade Area 223 gold zone spans some 250 metres striking north-south, central to the 223 deposit. Resource drilling has defined a zone from 40 metres below the surface extending to about 175 metres depth toward the southern end. The northern end of this zone has not been drilled deeper than 75 metres according to the company.
Encouragingly, Barton says the high-grade zone within the 223 deposit remains open both at depth and along strike.
A total of 31 reverse circulation, or “RC” holes were plugged into multiple priority targets during the 5,300m campaign within a stone’s throw of the 223 deposit that boasts a JORC-compliant mineral resource of 26.1 million tonnes grading 1.15 grams per tonne gold for 965,000 ounces.
Barton Gold Managing Director, Alexander Scanlon said: “In the four months since IPO, we have validated our predictions for three key target areas and established two new gold zones with ~1.5km of new shallow, high grade mineralisation.
“With ~4km of total mineralised strike now defined in a relatively small area, Tunkillia’s project footprint is filling in nicely. A number of local priority targets are still to be tested and with all gold zones open at depth and along strike we are on a clear path to build on our already large 965koz Au Mineral Resource Estimate.”
“The 223 Deposit sits on the original ~2.5km of Tunkillia strike, so the confirmation that it could be anchored by a higher grade starter pit only increases our view of the broader project’s true long-term potential. This has long been overlooked, and with over $12 million cash we do not intend to slow down exploration.”
The final assay results received from the 223 deposit round off a string of early exploration triumphs for Barton’s Phase 1 maiden program at its Tunkillia project, about 70 kilometres from its flagship Tarcoola deposit.
Earlier this month Barton announced it had discovered a new 800m long gold lode - “223 North” - about 500 metres northwest of its parent 223 deposit. The company says mineralisation at 223 North is characterised by scattered, shallow broad intersections with intermittent significant higher-grade cores comparable to the main 223 deposit.
Importantly, Barton believes it is possible the two deposits could be connected at depth.
Notable intersections reported from 223 North include 10m at 3.65 g/t gold from 51m, 7m at 1.59 g/t gold from 57m and 2m at 3.20 g/t gold from 63m.
Barton also recently followed up on its “Area 191” discovery, just three kilometres northeast of the 223 deposit. Drilling there threw up a bundle of shallow hits including 3m going 3.45 g/t gold from 55m and 1m returning a whopping 69.6 g/t gold from 68m.
The company says shallow mineralisation at Area 191 spans 250m to 300m in width along a north-northwest strike orientation. Similar to the 223 gold deposit, Area 191 houses low to medium grade broad intersections peppered with intermittent high-grade hits. The company said the style of mineralisation might indicate locally enriched primary structures with secondary or disseminated mineralisation.
Discovery of gold by Barton at Area 191 and 223 North has increased Tunkillia’s total gold mineralised strike length by almost 60 per cent to nearly 4km worth of shallow, continuous gold mineralisation.
With Phase 2 drill planning well underway, Barton will no doubt be taking stock of its new inventory at Tunkillia as it considers which high priority deposit to probe first.
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By Matt Birney
