Peregrine Gold’s mineralogical study at the Newman project highlights visible gold in core and rock samples

Five core and rock samples collected by Peregrine from the Peninsula and Birdsnest prospects uncovered visible gold and provides valuable information in an area with limited historical exploration and drilling.

This scope of work, undertaken at the national science agency, CSIRO’s Australian Resources Research Centre (ARRC) at Kensington, Western Australia, was carried out in conjunction with the geochemical results from the recently completed diamond drilling program at the Newman gold project.

Using the Tescan Integrated Mineral Analyzer (TIMA), which is an SEM-based automated mineralogy solution, the study measured for mineral abundance, size by size liberation, mineral association and grain size on multiple samples of grain mounts, thin sections or polished sections.

Preliminary observations of the five samples by the ARRC report that the gold observed is mainly primary in composition and consists of electrum – an alloy of gold and silver.

“Although more investigations are required to understand the genesis of the gold mineralisation, it seems from the morphology and chemistry that most gold is primary gold-silver electrum and occurs as dendritic, cavity and fracture filling in quartz veins,” CSIRO’s principal research specialist Dr Walid Salama says.

“Hydrothermal fluids are likely the main carrier of gold that is precipitated in oxidizing and acidic conditions which may be generated after oxidation of sulphides.

“Weathering processes may change the chemistry of the primary gold by leaching silver from the primary gold-silver electrum and moving gold from its primary source.

“However, the precipitation of secondary pure in cavities and fractures close to its primary gold source may indicate that gold does not move far from its source.”

Key to understanding geological model

“We have been impressed with the close spaced diamond drilling program so far,” Peregrine Gold’s (ASX:PGD) technical director George Merhi says.

“Testing of the auriferous quartz veins at the Newman gold project and particularly at the Peninsula prospect is a key step in developing the understanding of the geological model for the area.”

So far, Peregrine’s drilling program has focused on the Peninsula, Birdsnest and Tin Can prospects, with an additional area of interest identified by historical result also being tested.

Around 97 holes have been drilled for a total of 979m.

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Diamond drilling results are expected from the Newman project shortly while stream sediment sampling has continued to follow-up past anomalous sampling and to infill untested areas.

This article was developed in collaboration with Peregrine 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.