GoldArc drilling outlines high-grade, near-surface gold system at Eclipse

• GoldArc drilling at Eclipse returned 14m grading 7.49g/t gold from just 12m
• Challenge prospect also delivered high-grade results with 3m at 5.55g/t gold from 38m down-hole
• Planning underway for follow-up drilling to test for extensions to high-grade mineralisation along strike and at depth at Eclipse

Special Report: GoldArc Resources’ final detailed 1m assays from recent reverse circulation drilling have returned high-grade, near-surface gold at the Eclipse and Challenge prospects within its Leonora South project near Kookynie, WA.

Standout results such as 14m grading 7.49g/t gold from a down-hole depth of 12m and 9m at 2.84g/t from 34m demonstrate that a robust mineralised system is present at Eclipse.

Drilling also intersected near-surface mineralisation at the nearby Challenge prospect with results topping up at 3m at 5.55g/t Au from 38m.

Both prospects within GoldArc Resources’ (ASX:GA8) Leonora South gold project are near the historical Orion and Sapphire gold mines that collectively host a contained resource of 48,000oz gold grading 2.2g/t.

Managing director Paul Stephen said the one-metre gold results showed the initial high-grade intersection of 14m at 7.49g/t gold was not an isolated occurrence, but part of a potentially larger mineralised system the company was starting to unlock.

“The system at Eclipse remains open in all directions and we see a clear and immediate opportunity to grow our resource base,” he added.

“Our team is already finalising drill targets across the Leonora South and North project areas, with the goal of maintaining this level of exploration output.

“This success underpins a period of increased activity for the Company as we work to grow our existing resource base and uncover the potential of our entire Leonora landholding.”

Reverse circulation drilling

The 40-hole reverse circulation drill program totalling 3432m was designed to test the Eclipse and Challenge prospects to confirm historical data and test for extensions to known mineralisation.

It intersected the targeted mafic lithologies, interpreted as the Niagara Layered Complex with intermittent felsic intrusives, reflective of the area’s intruded and deformed nature.

Gold mineralisation across both prospects is consistently associated with quartz veining hosted within a deep weathering profile, which is a geological setting characteristic of major gold deposits within the region.

The company noted that the consistency of high-grade intercepts – particularly at Eclipse – confirmed that a robust structurally controlled gold system was present.

Notably, the system is unconstrained along strike and at depth, indicating significant potential for resource growth with further drilling.

Next steps

GA8 will use the assay results to develop a comprehensive geological model for the Eclipse prospect. This is expected to provide a strong foundation for the definition of a maiden resource estimate.

Planning is underway for follow-up drilling to test for extensions to the high-grade mineralisation along strike and at depth at Eclipse and a RC program to test the La Trobe prospects.

Work to advance and build a pipeline of high-quality targets across its portfolio is also continuing.

The company has completed a major soil survey at the Mt Stirling area to generate new targets for Mt Stirling-style mineralisation.

It is also planning major soil and drill programs to test the Whistler prospect westward of Carnavale Resources’ (ASX:CAV) Kookynie gold project.

This article was developed in collaboration with GoldArc Resources, 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.