Brightstar returns to the rig at Cork Tree Well

Brightstar Resources has high hopes for a new RC drill program at its Cork Tree Well project at Laverton, WA where previous drilling delivered a 12m intersection grading 3.47 grams per tonne gold. The company is targeting the

northern extensions of the main Delta lode whilst also chasing down new Delta 2 targets as it looks to grow its JORC resource.

The Delta part of the program will be focused on growing the JORC Resource more than one kilometre north of the current deposit whilst at Delta 2 the company is planning to identify primary mineralisation with drilling set to commence next week.

The ASX-listed gold developer has a JORC-2012 compliant 445,000 ounce mineral resource spread across three major projects, Cork Tree Well, Alpha, and Beta. Each of the projects is located within 60km of the company’s flagship 330,000 tonnes per annum Brightstar Plant, 15km south of the town of Laverton.

The new round of drilling will likely attract plenty of interested onlookers given the previous results delivered at Cork Tree Well. Aside from the standout 12m intersection grading 3.47 grams per tonne gold, the drill bit also hit a number of other encouraging results including 9m at 1.46g/t gold , 5m at 2.67 g/t gold and 12m at 1.69 g/t gold.

Brightstar says it is working on a three-year strategy to return the Brightstar Plant to production and expanding its Mineral Resource through brownfields exploration.

It says following completion of its “productive extensional drilling campaign" late last year it is evident the company would need to expand its drilling programs to fully comprehend the “size of the prize” at Cork Tree Well.

Given the relatively scant drilling so far, there remains a number of significant unknowns for Brightstar at Cork Tree Well. Despite drillholes intersecting widespread and highly-anomalous primary mineralisation down-dip and north along strike from previous drilling and outside the boundary of the existing Resource envelope the company is still yet to determine the edge of the orebody.

Brightstar Resources Managing Director Bill Hobba, an experienced mine site technical advisor with 40 years of operational experience in developing mine sites to his role, says:

“An update of the MRE for Cork Tree Well is underway, however the consistent positive drill intersections from last year’s program have indicated a pressing need for further extensional drilling. Coupled with the acquisition of E38/3434 in March 2022 containing the exciting Delta 2 project which has the potential to create a second Resource in the project area. Brightstar is keen to grow these opportunities aggressively and effectively.

The Delta program of 50 RC holes for 7350m is intended to investigate opportunities for splay and parallel lodes identified in the previous program north of the historic pits. It also plans to extend the effective drill spacing on the deposit more than 1000m north which the company believes should help determine the scale of the mineralised system.

The more modest drill program at Delta 2 has been locked in as a restrained 12 RC hole program across 1800m to better determine the extent of primary mineralisation underlying the Delta 2 anomaly.

Brightstar says if this program is successful, the company will most likely fast-track follow-up work to try and advance this prospect alongside the CTW/Delta prospect.

It is anticipated the new program will take about two months to complete, with full assay results to follow.

Is your ASX-listed company doing something interesting? Contact: matt.birney@businessnews.com.au