Cyclone Metals is poised to drill into its Nickol River project in WA after pulling some exquisite gold nuggets from test pits it says confirms the presence of a gold-bearing quartz reef system at the site. The work extends a solid run of form that has seen the explorer unearth specimens grading up to 712 grams per sample setting the stage for a highly anticipated drill program.
The company initially got a taste of the ground’s prospectivity in January when it began unveiling a sequence of high-grade nuggets and specimens from 18 test pits measuring 20m by 10m at the site.
Outside of the 700-gram plus result, previous work at the site delivered a collection of other high-grade specimens - which generally describe high-grade gold found in quartz veins – including ones weighing 140 grams, 79 grams and 38 grams.
Notably, the company says nuggets were found in every one of the site’s 18 test pits highlighting the broad prospectivity across the entire tenure.
The explorer says its latest results signal the conclusion of its test pit program and ushers in a new stage of work at the site which will be headlined by a maiden drill program.
Companies generally use test or trial pits to assess the composition and structure of a tenure’s sub-surface ahead of a more capital-intensive mining operation – a notion that has seemingly worked to great effect for Cyclone.
Data from a sub-audio magnetic survey will also guide the looming drilling campaign.
Cyclone commenced the sub audio magnetics, or ‘SAM’ survey over the test pits late last year and after interpreting the results said the program had proved successful in identifying gold-bearing structures.
According to the company, the SAM survey was the first modern technology to assess the site’s precious metal potential since its discovery and highlighted several compelling zones within the test pits.
Cyclone Metals' Director, William Scott said:“It is with great pleasure I confirm that an extensive quartz reef system exists throughout the Nickol River Project test pit program area, that hosts coarse gold in nugget and specimen form. This bodes well for a drill program in the near future utilising the SAM interpretation from Southern Geoscience Consultants, and information gained from the test pit program.”
Cyclone’s Nickol River gold project includes over half a dozen mining leases and a range of additional licences previously tested for alluvial gold by former operator Artemis Resources.
Whilst the widespread occurrence of gold in both nugget and specimen form is not always a tell-tale sign of a project’s mineralisation at depth, taken alongside the confirmed presence of an extensive gold reef, the coincidence is certainly a welcome one. The final arbiter will be the pending drill program which is now keenly awaited.
Watch this space.
Is your ASX-listed company doing something interesting? Contact: matt.birney@businessnews.com.au
By Matt Birney
