Gold explorers Vango Mining, Meteoric Resources and Matador Mining launch drilling campaigns

Advanced explorer Vango Mining (ASX:VAN) will get the drill bit spinning this week at its flagship high grade Marymia gold project in the Mid-West region of WA.

The company is targeting high-grade resource extensions at Marymia, as well as deeper targets in three areas that look similar to the nearby 5.5 million ounce Plutonic mine.

Vango said drilling in its Trident high-grade zone of Marymia may also link with its Mars discovery.

“This major, staged drilling program is designed to build upon our recently announced one-million ounce resource and will also test the potential multi-million ounce targets that lie below our, relatively shallow, high-grade gold resource base,” Vango chairman Bruce McInnes says.

Vango Mining Ltd (ASX:VAN) Share Price Chart

Meteoric Resources (ASX:MEI) is set to start maiden exploration drilling at its recently acquired Palm Springs gold project in the Kimberley region of WA.

The drilling program starts in August with 5,000m of reverse circulation and 1,500m of diamond drilling, designed to confirm and extend known high-grade gold mineralisation to the south of the old Butchers Creek open pit.

Previous drilling at the Butchers Creek site hit 73m at 2.26 grams per tonne of gold from 169m and 36m at 2.5 g/t from 168m.

“The data paints a very clear picture with high-grade gold mineralisation sitting in the existing pit floor and the southern extension of the orebody is virtually untested,” Meteoric Resources managing director Andrew Tunks said.

Meteoric Resources (ASX:MEI) Share Price Chart

In Canada’s Newfoundland province, Matador Mining (ASX:MZZ) will kick off a 12,000m drilling campaign at its Cape Ray gold project targeting resource expansion and priority ‘greenfield’ (previously unexplored) projects.

The drilling is part of a two-year exploration program to test new areas and generate a resource base able to support a 10-year mining operation, Matador says.