Drilling with the man portable rig continued in
EL580 at the Saki Prospect for a total of 23 holes (1 860 metres)
during the year with a total now of 28 holes for 2 318 metres.
A further 37 trenches were dug, and 235 samples taken. This work
led to the intersection of ore grade materials in holes SK004, SK014,
SK319, SK020, and SK028 but a resource will not be delineated until
completion of a topographic survey – this will be completed
early in the 2004 financial year. Phase II of drilling at Saki is
planned but deferred due to drilling inside ML104.
After Saki Phase I, drilling was undertaken at
Taula Vein (13 holes for 852 metres) and the Sisimonda Vein
System (five holes for 466 metres) in the Sere Sere area. This Taula
drilling tested the upper levels of the Taula Vein that had previously
been drilled at depth by Newmont in 1992, and although results showed
only small zones of mineralisation, extensions are open to the north
and south. At the end of the year field work was continuing at Taula
North on follow up of one previously recorded high grade chip sample
(262 parts per million Au). Preliminary results suggest this is a
dilational zone within the northerly extension of the Taula Vein.
Work, including detailed topographic surveys, is planned for early
in the 2004 financial year. Mapping at Kunda North will be targeted
in a drilling programme late in the 2004 financial year.
Taula Vein Results (Drill core assays > 10g/t
Au)
Hole Identification
From (m)
To (m)
Interval (m)
True Width (m)
Grade (g/t)
SSD002
19.5
20.4
0.9
0.7
10.20
SSD003
23.0
24.0
1.0
0.8
28.50
SSD003
24.0
25.0
1.0
0.8
13.60
SSD007
45.7
46.5
0.8
0.4
10.10
SSD008
41.1
42.1
1.0
0.8
34.40
SSD010
31.1
32.1
1.0
0.8
18.20
SSD011
67.2
69.3
2.1
0.9
14.20
Drilling at Sisimonda, one kilometre south-west
of Taula, was disappointing, but mineralisation along strike has been
located at the intersection of the Sisimonda Vein set with the southern
extension of the Taula Vein. This will be followed up with more prospecting
and mapping.
Late in the year field work recommenced within Exploration Licenses
683 and 894. The work at Samanelen in EL683 (six kilometres east of
Tolukuma) is in a high sulphidation system, and to date has comprised
of 28 kilometres of creek mapping, 475 metres of trenches and 789
samples. Assays from this prospect are being sent to Australia for
analysis rather than the laboratory at the mine due to the number
of soil samples, the need for fire assay and the need for assays not
available at Tolukuma mine laboratory. Field work at the Genga targets
in south western EL894 (20 kilometres from Tolukuma) showed that there
are three different styles of mineralisation. As yet, however, none
of the anticipated epithermals has been pinpointed. Most of the mineralisation
is base metal oriented or gold-base metal so has been given a low
priority. In the eastern side of the same EL, it has been recognised
that three major auriferous structures (Tolukuma, Saki and Ijav) all
intersect in an area, designated Livelave, adjacent to a distinct
magnetic high seen on the 1998 airborne magnetics flown by Tolukuma.
Reconnaissance of this area will commence early in the 2004 financial
year.
In EL1284 reconnaissance work in the Belavista area has shown that
there are diorites with gold, zinc and magnetite, similar to those
reported previously in EL1297, and interpreted in EL1281. Although
no airborne magnetics were flown in 2002-2003, planning is underway
to fly airborne radiometrics and magnetics over EL1264 and EL1284
in September 2003. Within ML104 (Tolukuma Mine), open pit operations
on the 120 Vein located the Zine Structure, which carried economic
grades of gold. This structure is a north-south (mine grid) structure
of which little was previously known. Two drill rigs are now operating
on this to determine potential to extend the 120 Vein open pit southwards
using the manportable rig for shallow (max 130 metres) holes
close to the pit, and a Longyear 44 to intersect the structure deeper
and further along strike. To this end seven holes have been drilled
for 795 metres with intersections of the Zine Structure in all seven
holes. Drilling is continuing.
The targets for the deep hole include the 120, Zine, Tinnabar, Terminator
and Sawmill Structures. Planned final depth for this hole is 650 metres.
After this hole it is planned to drill three deep holes into the Milaihamba
Structure in the southern areas of ML104.
