Oar strikes bumper grade halloysite in SA

ASX-listed explorer, Oar Resources claims to have set a new record for the highest grade halloysite recorded in Australia at its Gibraltar project on the Eyre Peninsula in SA. A series of “exceptionally” high-grade halloysite strikes above 30 per cent confirm the exciting halloysite-kaolin discovery with one sample printing at a dazzling 53 per cent.

Incredibly, the targeting and the discovery and now the new record grade occurrence at Gibraltar follows a single halloysite occurrence identified from historical reports at the project.

Oar has since completed two separate drilling campaigns with about 2,000 metres of shallow drilling in 2020 and a subsequent reconnaissance program of more than 4,000m earlier this year.

The latest results follow XRD analysis of selected samples from recent drilling, which add to previously reported high-brightness kaolin results.

The company says that four distinct high-priority target areas have now been defined at Gibraltar.

Multiple halloysite occurrences grading more than 10 per cent have been recorded within a hefty 12 square kilometre zone in the south-west of the drilling area. The large ‘south-west’ target remains open to the west, according to the company.

Further to the north, three target areas with high grade halloysite and high brightness kaolin have also been detected. Grades at the three targets include 24 per cent halloysite, 38 per cent halloysite and the stunning 53 per cent halloysite.

Oar Resources’ General Manager of Geology, Tony Greenaway said:“These new halloysite results are the highest grades we have seen anywhere in this district and confirm to us the significant potential of our Gibraltar halloysite-kaolin project.

The regional scout drilling campaign has been an incredible success, adding significantly to the geological understanding of the area, and providing us with four clear high priority targets to take forward.

I am particularly encouraged by the emerging cluster of halloysite pods coming out in our data. We see this pattern over other areas of a similar size both on the Eyre Peninsula and in Western Australia, where other companies have gone on to define very large JORC resources”

The company says that logging of drill chips from the south-west target area has also confirmed the presence of felsic granitic basement. Oar believes the granite basement could be a part of the same complex that hosts Andromeda Metals’ Mt Hope kaolin deposit immediately to the south of the Gibraltar tenure.

Mt Hope takes in some 18 million tonnes of kaolinised granite and contains some of the brightest and whitest kaolin in the world, according to Andromeda.

Oar is wasting no time in following up on the latest results with Gibraltar set to feel the drill bit again in the next few weeks. A drilling contractor has been secured and preparatory works for the upcoming campaign have already commenced.

The drilling program will aim to better define the large south-western anomaly and test its extensions to the west. Infill drilling of the three other target areas is also on the cards as Oar looks to define a maiden inferred resource at the project in the coming months.

Gibraltar is starting to pump out exceptional results as bumper grade halloysite and high-brightness kaolin results continue to flow in. The market meerkats will be sitting bolt upright as Oar looks to put a resource on what is shaping up to be an exciting discovery for the Perth-based explorer.

Is your ASX-listed company doing something interesting? Contact: matt.birney@businessnews.com.au