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- Stage 1 RC drilling completed at Horn Island
- All 20 drillholes intersected mineralisation
- Six drillholes tested interpreted higher-grade mineralisation within MRE area
- 14 drillholes totalling tested exploration target outside MRE
Alice Queen (ASX: AQX) has intersected mineralisation in all 20 holes of RC drilling completed in stage one drilling at the Horn Island gold project in Queensland.
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Preliminary interpretation suggests multiple broad mineralised trends with similarities to mineralised zones within the existing resource area.
“We’re pleased to have completed stage one RC drilling at Horn Island, with every hole intersecting evidence of mineralisation,” exploration manager, Adrian Hell, said.
“This program achieved initial testing across potential higher-grade zones within the existing mineral resource and the broader exploration target, including step-out holes up to 600m from the MRE boundary.
“We are now awaiting laboratory assay results, which will provide the key information required to assess the significance of the drilling completed and help guide the next phase of work at Horn Island.”
Approximately 3,708 samples have been dispatched to the lab at ALS, with initial gold assays expected in approximately two weeks and remaining results progressively over the following four to eight weeks.
Located in North Queensland, Horn Island has a mineral resource estimate (MRE) of 21.1 million tonnes (Mt) at 0.84 grams per tonne (gt) gold for 569,000 ounces.
The RC program predominantly tested areas within the exploration target northwest of the existing Horn Island mineral resource, together with a smaller component of drilling designed to test the continuity of interpreted higher-grade gold trends within the current mineral resource area.
All 20 drillholes intersected geological features interpreted to be associated with the Horn Island hydrothermal mineralising system.
These include multiple zones of quartz veining, sulphide mineralisation with associated sericite alteration. These field observations are supported by locally elevated pXRF responses for several pathfinder and base-metal elements, principally arsenic (As), lead (Pb), zinc (Zn) and copper (Cu).
Mr Hell said the pXRF measurements also recorded 26 apparent gold responses, however, the reliability of these responses for quantitative gold determination has not been established through suitable analytical validation.
The six drillholes completed within the existing mineral resource area targeted the historic Pioneer Lode and West Pit areas. The drilling was designed to provide additional information on the continuity and distribution of interpreted higher- grade gold mineralisation.
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