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Native Minerals drilling shows ‘a potentially large mineralised system’ as Maneater Hill zinc mineralisation gets richer at depth
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- Native Mineral’s drilling indicates that zinc mineralisation at Maneater Hill project in QLD increases with depth
- Increase in zinc values indicates that a potentially large mineralised system is present
- Drilling of next hole at Maneater Hill expected to begin in November
First assays from diamond drilling at Native Minerals’ Maneater Hill project in Far North Queensland have intersected porphyry, which indicates that zinc mineralisation increases with depth.
The company was granted the tenement over Maneater Hill in July last year, drawn by historical rock chips that returned grades of >2 grams per tonne (g/t) gold, 65g/t silver and up to 14.9% lead as well as a historical drill hole that returned a 94m intersection grading 4.45g/t silver.
Subsequent drilling by Native Mineral Resources (ASX:NMR) recorded massive, semi-massive, and disseminated sulphides for over 370m from a down-hole depth of 107m in hole MPD002.
This returned multiple 1m intervals recording grades of up to 2.14g/t gold, 1.7% zinc, 0.5% antimony, 57.1g/t silver, 0.75% lead and 0.35% copper.
However, the following hole, MPD003, delivered even more excitement after pulling up 446m of polymetallic mineralisation that included high-grade gold assays of 1m at 17.9g/t and 1m at 6.32g/t, adding depth to the target.
Airborne magnetic survey work has also confirmed a sizeable silver-lead-zinc-gold target at Maneater Hill.
Another Red Dome?
First assays from the company’s six-hole diamond drilling program to test priority anomalies highlighted by an IP survey has demonstrated that zinc mineralisation increases with depth in drill hole MPD005, which returned a top intercept of 5m at 0.48% zinc within a broader 22m at 0.23% zinc.
Adding interest, the hole intersected six separate sections of quartz feldspar porphyry totalling 23m from a depth of 286.5m.
This porphyry also shows multiple phases of mineralisation and is interpreted to be similar to the Red Dome and Mungana deposits near Chillagoe.
When it closed in 1997, Red Dome had delivered over 700,000oz of gold and 29,000t of copper over a decade at a grade of 2.1g/t.
A second batch of 75 assays, that cover the 125 metres to the bottom of MPD005 have been despatched to the laboratory for assaying.
“Drilling at Maneater remains ongoing, and although the initial assays received do not indicate high-grade mineralisation so far, they do provide our technical team with a much better geological understanding of the project area,” managing director Blake Cannavo said.
“We are also noting some early stage similarities to the notable Red Dome and Mungana deposits with both deposits being associated with mineralised porphyries.
“It must be noted that the 57 assays being reported, represent a section of core from MPD005 and logging of the hole suggests that the mineralisation changes in the deeper sections of MPD005.
“The increase in zinc values with depth in hole MDP005 indicates that there is a potentially large mineralised system located at Maneater and NMR is continuing its exploration to pinpoint the system with the next diamond hole MPD006.”
Upcoming activity
Native Mineral expects to drill MPD006 in November to test a chargeability high anomaly that is associated with a resistive low and a magnetic low within the eastern anomaly.
The company also has a pipeline of activity planned at its McLaughlin Lake lithium project in Canada with initial planning for a maiden drilling in 1Q 2024 now well advanced.
Sampling at McLaughlin Lake has already returned up to 2.77% Li2O along with elevated levels of lithium indicator minerals rubidium and caesium.
This article was developed in collaboration with Native Mineral 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.
