Last checked at 8 Jun 2022 07:01
ECR MINERALS plc
(“ECR Minerals”, “ECR” or the “Company”)
Multiple High Grade Gold Intercepts from hole BH3DD034 at HR3, Bailieston Victoria
ECR Minerals plc (LON: ECR), the exploration and development company focused on gold in Australia, is pleased to announce a progressive update from drilling at HR3, Bailieston with high gold intercepts received for hole BH3DD034. Visible gold was previously announced from this hole (see announcement dated 14th March 2022)
ECR Minerals plc has 100% ownership of the Bailieston Project (EL5433) which contains the gold prospects known as HR3, Cherry Tree, Blue Moon and Black Cat. The projects are operated by ECR’s Australian wholly owned subsidiary Mercator Gold Australia Pty Ltd (“MGA”).
ECR CEO Andrew Haythorpe commented: “This is an outstanding result, capably executed and delivered by Adam and the drill team. As a geologist myself, along with the team, I am excited by the continuity of grade and the manner in which the Maori Anticline is further revealing itself through each assay result. There is clearly much more to come.”
ECR Chairman David Tang added: “There is a palpable sense of excitement at ECR Minerals as the intensive drilling campaign across our Victoria assets is now, despite the delays in assay processing, yielding consistently high gold grades. I am delighted for Adam and the team – this exceptional result today and the continuity of grade between Zone 2 and Zone 3 could well indicate a significant find. We look forward to the remaining assay results from the adjacent holes.”
HIGHLIGHTS:
Drillhole BH3DD034 returned four high gold grade intercepts at drilled depths; (0.3m@ 20.34 g/t Au from 18.2m), (0.65m @ 13.02 g/t Au from 54.2m), (0.3m @ 10.59 g/t Au from 97.9m) and (0.25m @ 45.0 g/t Au from 149.2m).Visible gold recorded at 149.2m depth.Mineralised zones show continuity to adjacent previously drilled intercepts in hole BH3DD019.The links to three figures that will be referenced in the following comments can be found here;
Fig 1: https://www.ecrminerals.com/images/2022/fig1_BH3DD034_section_220606.png
Fig 2: https://www.ecrminerals.com/images/2022/fig2_BH3DD034_Plan_220606.png
Fig 3: https://www.ecrminerals.com/images/2022/fig3_BH3DD034_Best_Intercepts.png
BH3DD034
Hole BH3DD034 was one of four holes completed as follow-up drilling to previously announced hole BH3DD019 (see announcement dated 2nd March 2022), where four mineralised ‘zones’ were identified down-hole. The location of this drilling is shown at the top of the plan in fig 2 (linked above). To date, drilling and geological logging has been completed with assay results pending for complimentary adjacent drillholes BH3DD032, BH3DD033 and BH3DD035.
Hole BH3DD034 was drilled between the 4th and 11th of April 2022, and finished at a total drilled depth of 167.5m. Drilling was completed over six working days averaging 28m per day, which includes mobilisation and setup time. Progress was initially hampered by water loss and broken ground within the first 100m of drilling.
Visible gold was reported at a depth of 149.2m, hosted within a narrow bedded laminated quartz vein. Gold specks up to a particle size of 2mm are present. This vein resulted in an intercept of 0.25m @ 45.0 g/t Au. The immediate wall rock either side of this vein is supported by low, sub-gram gold grades representing a mineralised drilled interval of 6.7m @ 2.13 g/t Au from 146.3m. Three other mineralised zones have been identified further up-hole including 0.3m @ 20.34 g/t Au from 18.2m, 0.65m @ 13.02 g/t Au from 54.2m and 0.3m @ 10.59 g/t Au from 97.9m. Each mineralised zone is approximately spaced throughout the drilled hole depth (see fig 1).
Arsenopyrite (sulphide) crystals in the shape of small lathes and needles were seen within the high-grade interval at 97.9m. Sulphides crystallised in this manner are known to be associated with good gold values, such as those at nearby deposits located at Nagambie and the Fosterville Fault zone.
ECR Geologists have linked some of the four mineralised zones in BH3DD034 to similar zones in hole BH3DD019. Intercepts in hole BH3DD019 are within 50m to the south of intercepts in BH3DD034. Details of the link between mineralised zones can be seen in fig 1. In particular, we have noted the continuity of grade between Zone 2 in BH3DD019 and Zone 3 in BH3DD034. Due to the broken nature of these intercepts, a clear understanding of the dip of mineralisation is not well understood at this stage. The laminated texture of the quartz and the relationship of the angle of quartz intercepts to bedding planes infers that the mineralised zone is likely to be bedding parallel in nature. The veins reside in the hanging-wall of a narrow fault where bedding dip angles change dramatically. This fault contains low gold mineralisation.
Table 1. Summary of drill intercepts containing reportable levels of gold greater than 0.1 g/t Au for BH3DD034 (*highlights in bold).
BH3DD034
From (m) | To (m) | Grade (g/t Au) | Interval (m) | Comment |
3 | 3.5 | 0.39 | 0.5 |
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11 | 11.3 | 0.26 | 0.3 |
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18.2 | 18.5 | 20.34 | 0.3 | Zone 1 |
18.5 | 19.5 | 0.21 | 1 | Zone 1 |
20.5 | 21.5 | 0.18 | 1 | Zone 1 |
25.5 | 26 | 0.17 | 0.5 | Zone 1 |
26.5 | 27.5 | 3.46 | 1 | Zone 1 |
33 | 34 | 0.79 | 1 |
|
34 | 35 | 0.39 | 1 |
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35 | 36 | 0.35 | 1 |
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36 | 36.6 | 0.50 | 0.6 |
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36.6 | 37 | 0.31 | 0.4 |
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37 | 37.3 | 0.46 | 0.3 |
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37.3 | 38.1 | 0.57 | 0.8 |
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38.1 | 39 | 0.21 | 0.9 |
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39 | 39.5 | 1.66 | 0.5 |
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39.5 | 40 | 0.53 | 0.5 |
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46.1 | 46.6 | 0.28 | 0.5 |
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46.6 | 47.2 | 0.30 | 0.6 |
|
50.7 | 51.3 | 0.14 | 0.6 | Zone 2 |
51.6 | 52 | 0.17 | 0.4 | Zone 2 |
52 | 53 | 0.15 | 1 | Zone 2 |
53 | 53.5 | 0.30 | 0.5 | Zone 2 |
53.5 | 54.2 | 0.24 | 0.7 | Zone 2 |
54.2 | 54.85 | 13.02 | 0.65 | Zone 2 |
56.5 | 57 | 0.19 | 0.5 |
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58.2 | 58.7 | 0.18 | 0.5 |
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71.6 | 72.25 | 0.98 | 0.65 |
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72.8 | 73.4 | 0.16 | 0.6 |
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80.2 | 81 | 0.22 | 0.8 |
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81 | 81.6 | 0.41 | 0.6 |
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97.2 | 97.5 | 0.50 | 0.3 | Zone 3 |
97.5 | 97.9 | 0.60 | 0.4 | Zone 3 |
97.9 | 98.2 | 10.59 | 0.3 | Zone 3 (Arsenopyrite Needles) |
98.2 | 98.75 | 0.26 | 0.55 | Zone 3 |
99.4 | 100 | 0.13 | 0.6 | Zone 3 |
105.5 | 106 | 0.34 | 0.5 |
|
146.3 | 146.6 | 0.62 | 0.3 | Zone 4 |
146.6 | 147 | 0.46 | 0.4 | Zone 4 |
147 | 147.8 | 0.17 | 0.8 | Zone 4 |
147.8 | 148.2 | 0.58 | 0.4 | Zone 4 |
148.2 | 148.6 | 1.92 | 0.4 | Zone 4 |
148.6 | 149.2 | 0.49 | 0.6 | Zone 4 |
149.2 | 149.45 | 45.0 | 0.25 | Zone 4 (Visible Gold) |
149.45 | 150 | 0.43 | 0.55 | Zone 4 |
150 | 150.5 | 0.83 | 0.5 | Zone 4 |
150.5 | 151 | 0.36 | 0.5 | Zone 4 |
151 | 152 | 0.25 | 1 | Zone 4 |
152 | 153 | 0.14 | 1 | Zone 4 |
LOOKING FORWARD STATEMENTS
With the results of BH3DD034 now received, the board eagerly awaits the results of adjacent holes BH3DD032, BH3DD033 and BH3DD035. Despite the narrow nature of the reported mineralised zones, there is high optimism for continuity of mineralisation as seen currently by the correlating intercepts between hole BH3DD019 and BH3DD034.
It is becoming clear the fold hinge (termed the ‘Maori Anticline’) hosts multiple narrow faults and bedded veins that host gold-antimony arsenic (stibnite) mineralisation. Heading south from BH3DD034 toward the intersection of the Maori Reef with the Hard-Up Reef, drilling is now complete for hole BH3DD038. Logging is nearly complete, with samples already in waiting for completion of assays at the laboratory. Similar mineralised zones as seen in BH3DD034 have been identified in the latest drilling and the Company is looking forward to publishing these results in due course. The mineralised system is open immediately to the north of BH3DD034 and it is with this understanding that a complimentary drillhole will be undertaken within this vicinity.
REVIEW OF ANNOUNCEMENT BY QUALIFIED PERSON
This announcement has been reviewed by Adam Jones, Technical Director of Exploration at ECR Minerals plc. Adam Jones is a professional geologist and is a Member of the Australian Institute of Geoscientists (MAIG). He is a qualified person as that term is defined by the AIM Note for Mining, Oil and Gas Companies.
MARKET ABUSE REGULATIONS (EU) No. 596/2014
The information contained within this announcement is deemed by the Company to constitute inside information as stipulated under the Market Abuse Regulations (EU) No. 596/2014 (MAR). Upon the publication of this announcement via Regulatory Information Service (RIS), this inside information is now considered to be in the public domain.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION, PLEASE CONTACT:
ECR Minerals plc |
| Tel: +44 (0) 20 7929 1010 |
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David Tang, Non-Executive Chairman Andrew Haythorpe, CEO |
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Email: info@ecrminerals.com |
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Website: www.ecrminerals.com |
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WH Ireland Ltd |
| Tel: +44 (0) 207 220 1666 |
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Nominated Adviser Katy Mitchell / Andrew de Andrade |
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SI Capital Ltd |
| Tel: +44 (0) 1483 413500 |
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Broker |
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Nick Emerson |
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Novum Securities Limited |
| Tel: +44 (0) 20 7399 9425 |
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Broker Jon Belliss |
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BlytheRay |
| Tel: +44 (0) 207 138 3204 |
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Public Relations |
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Tim Blythe
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ABOUT ECR MINERALS PLC
ECR Minerals is a mineral exploration and development company. ECR’s wholly owned Australian subsidiary Mercator Gold Australia Pty Ltd (“MGA”) has 100% ownership of the Bailieston and Creswick gold projects in central Victoria, Australia, has eight licence applications outstanding including two licence applications lodged in eastern Victoria. (Tambo gold project). MGA is currently drilling at both the Bailieston (EL5433) and Creswick (EL6148) projects and has an experienced exploration team with significant local knowledge in the Victoria Goldfields and wider region.
https://mercatorgold.com.au/
ECR also owns 100% of an Australian subsidiary LUX Exploration Pty Ltd (“LUX”) which has three licence applications covering 900 km2 covering a relatively unexplored area in Queensland, Australia.
https://luxexploration.com/
Following the sale of the Avoca, Moormbool and Timor gold projects in Victoria, Australia to Fosterville South Exploration Ltd (TSX-V: FSX) and the subsequent spin-out of the Avoca and Timor projects to Leviathan Gold Ltd (TSX-V: LVX), Mercator Gold Australia Pty Limited has the right to receive up to A$2 million in payments subject to future resource estimation or production from projects sold to Fosterville South Exploration Limited.
ECR holds a 70% interest in the Danglay gold project; an advanced exploration project located in a prolific gold and copper mining district in the north of the Philippines, which has a 43-101 compliant resource. ECR also holds a royalty on the SLM gold project in La Rioja Province, Argentina and can potentially receive up to US$2.7 million in aggregate across all licences.
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