RE RNS20 Dec 2021 07:42
Eclipse Ore Zone
Two diamond holes drilled near the Eclipse shaft successfully penetrated fresh rock (ECDD21_01 and ECDD21_03) and these have provided valuable structural information pertaining to what controls the gold mineralisation. A total of 60 structural measurements were taken from the diamond holes, measuring the bedding, foliation, and quartz-carbonate veining of the fresh rock. These were plotted onto a 'stereonet' with Au assays, which showed the high-grade mineralisation to be associated with a steeply-dipping, northwest-southeast trending foliation. This is vital information for planning future drillholes and targeting the mineralisation along strike.
When the drillhole and assay data are plotted into 3D modelling software, and a cross-section is defined along strike of the foliation, it shows the mineralisation is open at depth and along-strike within the fresh rock (Figure 2), highlighting areas which to date have been completely untested. In doing so, Empire has defined several priority drill targets for the next phase of exploration at Eclipse.
Figure 2: Long-section of Eclipse orientated along strike of the foliation.
Viewing northeast through a 20m wide window. Shaded zone indicates the higher grade gold mineralisation which remains open at depth, and to the northwest, where it could potentially link to Jack's Dream.
Jack's Dream
At Jack's Dream, where only RC holes have been drilled, a similar approach has been employed using the structural measurements from Eclipse (Figure 3). This shows again the upside and exploration potential for discovering more gold mineralisation within the fresh rock at depth, which remains untested. It also supports the idea that Eclipse and Jack's Dream are upper parts of a larger, linked gold system at depth below the regolith horizon between the two areas, although this concept has yet to be tested adequately.
Figure 3: Long-section of Jack's Dream along strike of the foliation defined by DD holes from Eclipse.
Viewing northeast through a 40m wide window. Shaded area indicates higher grade gold mineralisation which remains open at depth, and towards the southeast.
Further Exploration Planned
The current database for the Project shows only 20% of the RC holes drilled to date have penetrated below the gold-depleted regolith zone into fresh rock. This is an exciting development for the Company as it highlights the potential for significant additional mineralisation to be discovered within the licence area, and certainly merits further drilling. The planned drilling will be executed as a phased approach, maximising the data collected in each phase to guide the following phase. It is important that additional data be collected from the fresh rock to fully understand lithological and structural contacts, at both Eclipse and Jack's Dream, which influence controls on the gold mineralisation. The final design and implementation planning for the next drilling programme is under