Altair Minerals (ASX: ALR) is “aggressively accelerating the targets toward drilling” with a new trenching program at its South Oko prospect in Guyana.
This initial program will consist of four trenches at the E1 and W1 targets across a combined length of approximately three kilometres, with a second 5km phase to be executed to target high priority anomalies identified in the company’s ongoing soil and auger campaign.
The first trench completed, which sits on top of the Oko Shear Zone, has identified the same host geological package as neighbouring deposits, validating a geological extension at South Oko.
Stream Sampling Database
Altair announced in late November that it had identified a number of high-grade anomalies after assessing a newly acquired stream sampling database for the Greater Oko project.
A desktop study of the database – based on multiple government-run sampling programs between 2000 and 2016 that examined areas with the potential to host commercial precious metal deposits – uncovered a number of areas of interest at South Oko and North Peters, as well as three new regional targets.
The new anomalous zones identified at North Peters expanded the prospective target zone to exceed 6km, with new geochemical anomalies located more than 2km from the historical drilling area.
The 5km stream sediment anomaly to be trenched at South Oko was also identified at this time, along with priority targets at West Puruni, Mara-Mara, and West Peters.
First Subsoil Work
Chief executive officer Faheem Ahmed said the work involved the first subsoil ground proof at South Oko.
"Altair is retaining a nimble and flexible approach, letting the ground findings and pending assays from geochemistry guide the exploration program," Mr Ahmed said.
The company has commenced construction of the next trench in the program, and is now awaiting results from testing of two soil sample batches.
The accelerated exploration work at Greater Oko is being supported by the company’s $13 million placement in early November that attracted internationally renowned institutions and prominent mining investors.
