West Wits is a step closer to restarting gold mining in the Pilbara

Special report: West Wits Mining has found gold at surface in all of the samples it took on the second field trip to its newly acquired Tambina project in the Pilbara region of Western Australia.

Ten samples (20kg bags) were collected, with all returning visible gold in pan concentrates.

Using a detector, nine nuggets were found in soil nearby and within the two horizons, with the largest weighing 3.2g.

“The notable feature from the geology team’s second field visit to the Tambina project is the discovery of gold in all 20 samples,” chairman Michael Quinert said.

“While assay results are necessary to draw more definitive conclusions, the preliminary view is the gold mineralisation is likely extensive which is the first step towards potentially recommencing small-scale mining operations.”

West Wits (ASX:WWI) is aiming to restart small scale mining at the project this year.

Tambina could potentially be a modest-sized mining operation. Of West Wits’ two Pilbara assets, the Tambina project will be the main focus given its prospectivity and the fact it already has three granted mining leases.

The restart of mining could result in Tambina contributing modest cashflow toward year end.

West Wits is the only ASX-listed junior to have landholdings with conglomerate-hosted gold in both South Africa’s Witwatersrand Basin and the Pilbara.

The company has already started small-scale mining and is generating positive cash flow from its South African operation.

‘21st century gold rush’

In November last year, the company announced it was acquiring Tambina Gold, which has the right to acquire three gold mining licences that have a small-scale mining operation already in place.

Since gold nuggets were discovered in the West Pilbara last year by Artemis Resources (ASX:ARV) and its Canadian partner Novo Resources, there has been a rush of explorers looking to grab ground in the area.

It has been labelled the “gold rush of the 21st century”.

The geology of the Tambina project is similar to Artemis’ and Novo’s Purdy’s Reward project in the West Pilbara and West Wits’ other recently acquired Pilbara asset, the Mount Cecelia project — which are both part of the Lower Fortescue Group.

The Fortescue Group is made up of mafic volcanic rocks found in the Fortescue Basin in the Pilbara Craton which are known to host gold and other minerals.

These projects are showing similarity to the famous Witwatersrand gold deposits.

The Witwatersrand Basin is a geological formation that houses the world’s biggest known gold reserves, producing over 40 per cent of the world’s gold.

Gaining momentum

The positive results have prompted West Wits to expand its field trip.

The company now plans to sample extensions to known gold mineralisation, conduct test work on in-field gold recovery and small-scale mining methods, and undertake a desktop review of potential gold sources and targets.

Longer term, West Wits may look to drill the ferrous-oxide layer to test the down dip extent of gold mineralisation.

This special report is brought to you by West Wits Mining.

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