Titanium explorer McLaren Minerals has completed a phase one drilling program of 192 air core holes for 4067 metres, targeting its high-value McLaren titanium sands project in Western Australia’s Eucla Basin.
The program identified extensions of prospective sediments outside the limits of historic resources in three key zones. The biggest southern zone is about 2600m wide and averages 10m thick, up to a 15m maximum.
The north extension is 2200m wide and averages 14m thick and up to 23m.
The smaller eastern extension of the central zone is 800m wide, with an average 20m thickness up to 23m.
The program sampling was undertaken at 1m and 1.5m sample intervals. The company used 1m interval samples for all its infill drill holes and 1.5m intervals for metallurgical samples.
The sediments identified in the new extensional areas develop beyond the limits of historic resource targeting and represent new test areas for future exploration.
McLaren says the results from its phase one program demonstrate mineralisation continuity and provide the evidence it needs to support planned expansions of the current test work.
The company says the significance of the multi-directional extension potential revealed in the new areas will be incorporated into the resource update when the sample results are returned, before a pre-feasibility study.
McLaren Minerals managing director Simon Finnis said: “While we have not yet received any assays, phase one has delivered strong confidence to our team regarding this project. The most recent interpretation not only confirms the integrity of our geological model but importantly, demonstrates the scale of the opportunity ahead. Defining this substantial potential for mineralisation outside the current resource boundary positions us well for future resource growth.”
The samples are being sent to mineral sands specialists Diamantina Laboratories in Perth and IHC Mining in Queensland.
McLaren Minerals’ heavy mineral sands project covers 333 square kilometres on the western side of the Eucla Basin, adjacent to WA’s Fraser Range. It is about 5km south of the Eyre Highway and 350km by road to Esperance Port.
The advanced-stage exploration project has a 2022 indicated and inferred mineral resource estimate of 280 million tonnes (Mt) averaging 4.8 per cent heavy minerals for 13.5Mt in-situ heavy minerals.
McLaren says its geological interpretation after the program has significantly advanced its understanding of the deposit and its broader setting.
The company says its specialist mineral sands geologists have confirmed key structural and lithological features, leading to increased confidence in its geological model.
Mapping of the basement morphology has proved helpful in constraining the shape and position of sedimentary trap zones, improving definition of priority zones before planning future test work.
Additional insights into the various sedimentary energy regimes have helped the company to identify high-potential areas for early future exploration within the current footprint and also across surrounding areas in the tenements.
A clearer definition of the sedimentary interface is expected to improve the accuracy of drilling depth planning, which will avoid “over-drilling” in future programs.
The insights McLaren gains from this approach are expected to contribute to lower exploration costs and greater operational efficiency, while preserving data quality.
Looking at the considerable area of the three extensional zones and their respective thicknesses, scaled against the existing historic resource, McLaren and punters alike will likely all be watching for a significant imminent resource upgrade.
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By Doug Bright
