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Barton’s radar survey detects a bevy of gold targets at Tarcoola
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The first use of ground penetrating radar in South Australia’s Tarcoola region has paid off for Barton with the identification of numerous shallow gold targets.
These include two dozen vein-like targets, a shallow stockwork-like intrusive anomaly and a shallow dome-like anomaly, all of which are located within 1.5km of the historical high-grade Perseverance Mine.
Barton Gold (ASX: BGD) notes that several of these targets are located in the northern and southern portions of the survey area that have seen very little historical drilling.
It added that the GPR survey has also successfully identified and mapped the granite contact across about 3km of the survey area.
This is notable as gold mineralisation at Tarcoola is structurally and stratigraphically controlled and is preferentially deposited at the intersection of mineralising structures and chemically favourable lithological units such as the Peela Conglomerate, which overlies the granite contact.
“We are very excited to share these preliminary results, which strongly validate the theses generated from our prior work and highlight multiple exciting new targets on ML6455 near the open pit,” managing director Alexander Scanlon said.
“The GPR survey results have not only identified the location of these targets, but have also provided the precise orientation of multiple thick veins targets intruding to near surface.
“This opens up the potential for significant discoveries of new mineralisation via more precise and cost-effective drilling.”
He added that the identification of so many previously unrecognised shallow structures and features within just 2.6sqkm of the 1,200sqkm Tarcoola Gold project area highlights its untapped potential and clearly justifies larger-scale trial applications of this technique.
The company is currently waiting on assay results from its recent Phase 2 drill program and will carry out a detailed integrated analysis once this is received.
GPR survey and the Tarcoola project
The GPR survey was carried out in July to investigate a shallow subsurface structure and to complement the seismic reprocessing and new Tarcoola 3D regional structural model interpreted in 2020.
It forms part of the works co-funded by the recent $300,000 Accelerated Discovery Initiative grant awarded by the South Australian government.
Barton notes that the GPR produced effective penetration and high resolution to 40-50m depth throughout the target area, with penetration and clear imaging up to 70m depth in certain areas.
Tarcoola includes an existing brownfield open pit mine within trucking distance of the company’s processing plant.
Despite the presence of significant mineral extensions with untapped scale potential, the project remains underexplored.
This article was developed in collaboration with Barton Gold, a Stockhead advertiser at the time of publishing.
This article does not constitute financial product advice. You should consider obtaining independent advice before making any financial decisions.
