Positive results from mineral explorers

SEVERAL Western Australian mineral explorers have recently released positive drill results or are in the process of establishing drilling programs. Fortescue Metals Group has again revised its Pilbara iron ore resource estimates to two billion tonnes, a week after it increased the estimate from 653 million to more than one billion tonnes. The latest announcement is based on its Mt Cloud Break resource, which is FMG’s closest major discovery to port. Drilling of the Cloud Break area, contained within the company’s broader Chichester Range project area, only began in November last year. The release of the estimation, completed by independent consultant Snowden Consulting Group, is based on the analysis of samples from drilling of only 60 per cent of the targeted strike area, according to FMG. Allied Gold Ltd has confirmed significant extensions to its Sorowar gold oxide deposit at its 1.59 million ounce Simberi gold project, in Papua New Guinea. Allied managing director Jeff Moore said the recently completed phase 2 RC drilling program had confirmed the presence of robust mineralisation continuing to the west and below the current pit design for Sorowar, the largest of seven near-surface deposits on the Simberi Island. Matrix Metals has released drilling results from the first hole at its McCabe copper deposit in northern Queensland. Matrix has described the results as “spectacular”, with the intersection of grades ranging from 7.4 per cent at 245 metres to 2.93 per cent at 235 metres. The recommencement follows the recent acquisition of the 270,000-ounce Randalls gold project, which the company says is strategically located. Great Western Exploration has announced that interpretation of follow-up ground EM data has outlined several priority targets, including a possible massive sulphide at Anomaly 22. GWE has also booked an exploration rig for the project, with a drill program in the process of being finalised. Drilling is expected to commence this month, subject to ground disturbance approvals and heritage clearances. Meanwhile, emerging WA gold company Integra Mining has restarted drilling at its Aldiss gold project, 130 kilometres east of Kalgoorlie. Randalls is located 32km to the west of the Aldiss project and is within a reasonable distance, economically, for the transportation of ore to a proposed central processing facility to be located on the Aldiss tenements.