Kairos Minerals has extended mineralisation below its existing 1.1-million-ounce gold resource at the company’s Mount York project in WA’s Pilbara after landing hits including 10m at 4.9 g/t gold from 257m. Known mineralisation has now been stretched 85m below the existing planned open pit depths. The latest results offer potential for a resource upgrade and future underground mining in high-grade gold shoots within the 3km resource strike length.
The company believes the high-grade gold shoots can be identified and targeted over the entire 3km resource strike length covering the historical Main Pit, Breccia Hill and Gossan Hill mines.
Kairos received assays results for nine holes that were part of a 46-hole drilling campaign between September and December 2022. The results for 33 holes have previously been reported with assays for the final 4 holes still pending. Of the 11,013m drilled 5945m were diamond core and the remainder RC drilling. The program’s objectives were to test resources below current optimal pit shells and to increase the confidence category of the existing resource.
Samples have also been submitted for bulk density readings to assist with updated resource and pit optimisation calculations which are expected to commence after receiving the final drill results. Wireframe adjustment for lithology and mineralisation characteristics will be an integral part of the calculations.
Kairos intends to rapidly progress pre-feasibility work to determine the best pathway to a sustainable long-life mining project whilst it also juggles mining lease stakeholder negotiations.
The company believes the results demonstrate the potential for wide, high-grade gold mineralised shoots below the current resource along the whole 3km trend. The Breccia Hill site had the standout results with 10m at 4.9 g/t gold from 257m, including 7m going 6.02 g/t gold and 5m grading 2.11 g/t gold from 140m downhole.
At Gossan Hill, along strike of Breccia Hill to the east, broad zones of gold mineralisation were located within open pit depths below existing resources. Its best results include 20m going 0.85 g/t gold from 89m containing 7m at 1.38 g/t gold.
Main Hill is located along strike and west of Breccia Hill and also recorded wide zones of gold mineralisation below existing resources. Headline intercepts from the latest exploration include 21m at 1.38 g/t gold from 235m including 6m grading 2.8 g/t gold.
The company says the numbers from Main Hill confirm and demonstrate significant widths of mineralisation and multiple stacked lodes although limited drill rig access has left the deposit relatively undrilled. Results for one hole at Main Hill remain pending, although the hole intersected a promising 15.4m thick zone with high sulphides.
Promising intersections were recorded from The Gap prospect between the former shallow pits at Main Hill and Breccia Hill. Results include 5m going 1.06 g/t gold from 181m and 12m at 1.01 g/t gold from 194m.
Kairos Minerals Managing Director, Dr Peter Turner said: “The exceptional result of 10m at 4.9 g/t gold from 257m from drillhole KMYD040 at Breccia Hill not only demonstrates the potential for open pit resource extensions well beyond the current resources and optimal pit shell, but also highlights the potential for future underground mining scenarios.”
Kairos Minerals’ wholly-owned 1.1-million-ounce Mount York gold project appears to have significant potential to grow with further drilling. The ore bodies were partially mined by Lynas Gold NL between 1994 and 1998 at shallow depths. The published long section for Mount York shows seven high-grade zones from 50m to 100m strike extent within the 3km strike of the project deposits, all seven are open at depth and represent juicy targets to expand known gold resources.
Kairos also recently discovered spodumene lithium-bearing pegmatites adjacent to the Mount York Gold Project which are currently being evaluated. With world-class lithium deposits nearby at Wodgina and Pilgangoora it is certainly a good place to have a crack at lithium exploration. Mount York sits immediately east of and adjacent to Pilgangoora which has a resource of 309 million tonnes at 1.14 per cent lithium.
Mount York sits approximately 50km southeast of the massive 10+ million ounces Hemi deposit owned by DeGrey.
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