Emu flies into WA gold drilling

Emu NL is off to a flying start in 2021, kicking off its drilling campaign at the Gnows Nest gold project in WA. The company has commenced a 9,000-metre reverse circulation drilling campaign across the historical mining area which is aimed at validating and building on the existing high-grade resource over the Gnows Nest mine and to begin testing the extensive gold mineralisation at the Monte Cristo prospect to the north.

The company’s Gnows Nest project is located in the Murchison region of Western Australia, just 32 kilometres to the south-east of the historical Yalgoo mining centre. The area has recently been thrust into the spotlight following Firefly Resources and Venture Minerals success in the region.

Following its acquisition of the Gnows Nest late last year, Emu has continued to build on its tenement position across the historic terrane. Its tenement holding now covers more than 24 square kilometres of the underexplored Yalgoo greenstone belt. The company’s tenure extends across more than 6km of strike, stretching from the Brilliant gold prospect in the south through to north of the Monte Cristo prospect.

Emu’s bold reverse circulation drilling program is divided into two key components – as an initial attempt to confirm and extend the high-grade deposit at Gnows Nest and as its maiden drilling program across the Monte Cristo prospect area.

The planned campaign over the Gnows Nest deposit consists of around 6,500m of reverse circulation drilling and is designed to test a range of targets across the mining area. Exploration by the previous owners of the project has already outlined a shallow JORC-resource of 113,400 tonnes at 3.78 g/t gold over the prospect, which shows potential for an open pit mining operation. Interestingly, the company adds the resource shows “significant scope” for expansion.

Initial drilling at Gnows Nest will target the down-dip and down-plunge extensions to the resource, with previous drilling seemingly having barely scratched the surface at the dormant mine. Small-scale mining between 1923 and 1941 exploited the rich gold-bearing lodes down to over 145m below, hinting at the deeper potential of the ore system. 

A detailed evaluation of the historical mining and exploration data over the Gnows Nest prospect has also begun to divulge a wealth of targets proximal to the deposit. The current drilling program is also aimed at testing the recently identified southern extensions to the shear zone that hosts the ore system.

The campaign will also take in a small program of sterilisation drilling adjacent to the resource area, as the company looks to accelerate its development of the project and set aside key areas for mining infrastructure as any potential to the operation takes shape.

Emu has a smaller drilling program planned for the Monte Cristo prospect which is located a mere 3km north of Gnows Nest, along the interpreted strike extents of the greenstone belt.  The company has planned a 2,500m drilling program over the prospect area, with much of the exploration designed to follow up historical drill intercepts adjacent the old artisanal mine workings. In addition, systematic wide-spaced drilling will test the 1,500m long structure that is interpreted to host the Monte Cristo workings, which if successful, may herald the beginnings of a “mine camp” across the greater Gnows Nest project area.

The company looks to be shifting into high gear in the Murchison and with a horde of hungry gold mills in close proximity to Gnows Nest, including the Deflector mill 50km to the west and Kirkalocka 90km to the east, the fledgling explorer may be coveting a jump to gold developer in a far shorter timeline than many might expect – an interesting year ahead for Emu.

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