Terrain Minerals has pulled the drill rig from its Smokebush project in Western Australia’ Yalgoo region, after knocking out an expanded 5000-metre campaign targeting high-grade gold and silver at its Lightning and Monza prospects.
The expanded reverse circulation drilling program was designed to reveal the extent of gold and silver-bearing structures at the project, ahead of the company defining a maiden mineral resource at the early-stage Smokebush by the middle of next year.
Located in the world-class Yalgoo greenstone belt of WA’s Mid West region, Smokebush sits in a prime postcode just 50 kilometres south of 29Metals’ Golden Grove volcanogenic massive sulphide (VMS) deposit, 25km south of Warriedar Resources’ Ricciardo gold-antimony deposit and 15km north of Vault Mining’s Rothsay project.
With year-round access and nearby mining infrastructure, Terrain’s project is looking to live up to its neighbours in high-grade potential.
The drilling campaign kicked off in May and was initially scoped for just 3350m. It grew on the fly twice based on the company’s promising field observations.
A further five holes and 1645m were tacked on to the program, followed by a final two holes and 695m, bringing the total to a robust 4995m.
The program zeroed in on multiple parallel gold structures identified through Terrain’s cutting-edge induced polarisation geophysical modelling, which previously guided the company to high-grade hits such as 11m at a substantial 6.03 grams per tonne (g/t) gold and 43.5g/t silver at Lightning and 5m at 3.77g/t gold at Monza.
Most drill samples are already en route to Perth for analysis, with the final pallets set to follow this week. Assay results are expected next month and should light the way for Terrain’s follow-up programs.
Beyond Terrain’s focussed gold and silver exploration at Smokebush, interest is also rousing around the project’s critical minerals prospect Larin’s Lane and its gallium and rare earths potential. A historic drilling program by the company intersected broad gallium zones across a 9km by 3km area, with metallurgical research now underway to try to liberate its critical minerals.
As assay results loom, Lightning and Monza could spark a defining moment for Terrain in WA’s gold and critical minerals heartland. A high-grade discovery of note in the prominent Yalgoo belt would raise more than a few eyebrows and an expanded drilling program rarely means dusters.
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By Andrew Todd
