Aston Minerals confirms ‘substantial’ gold system at Edleston project

While advancing the nickel potential at targets within its Edleston project in Canada, Aston Minerals (ASX: ASO) is also reviewing the project’s gold potential with assays confirming a “substantial” gold system.

Aston has completed 30 holes for 11,168.6m at the Edleston Main target, with results verifying historical work and confirming 700m of gold strike.

Notable intersections from Edleston Main comprise 3.18m at 29.98 grams per tonne from 613m; 15.58m at 2.57g/t gold from 75.74m, including 2.03m at 11.11g/t gold; and 148m at 0.55g/t gold from 80m, including 3m at 9.67g/t gold.

Assays remain pending for 12 holes, with the recently completed program aiming to infill gaps in the geological model, extend mineralisation and replicate historical results.

Commenting on Edleston Main, Aston managing director Dale Ginn said there is an extensive body of moderate grade mineralisation and narrower high-grade domains that justify calculating a resource.

“Once we receive the results for the remaining 12 drill holes, we intend to refine the geological model and appoint an independent industry consultancy to estimate a mineral resource.”

Sirola prospect

Over at the Sirola prospect, which is 800m to the east of Edleston Main, Aston has received assays from seven out of 16 holes completed to-date.

Four discrete mineralised lodes have been identified at the prospect which trend in an east-to-west direction.

Highlight results from Sirola were 1.41m at 14.7g/t gold from 233.59m; 81m at 0.69g/t gold from 156.5m, including 1.56m at 11.45g/t gold; and 71.49m at 0.61g/t gold from 377.49m.

Sirola has been described as a “rapidly emerging discovery” within Edleston.

Mr Ginn said once the company has a better idea on the extent and geometry of mineralisation at Sirola, it will evaluate if further resource drilling is required.

Edleston East

Aston has also completed drilling at the Edleston East prospect which is located between Edleston Main and Sirola.

Previous exploration at Edleston East unearthed 1.5m at 1,356g/t gold from 362m.

Mr Ginn noted that follow up drilling at the prospect had been challenging.

“The phenomenal grade of this intercept indicates that there is a very substantial amount of localised mineralisation present.”

He said that although follow up drilling had failed to replicate the historical phenomenal gold interval, it had uncovered “numerous low to moderate grade nickel” intersections.

The nickel intersections have assisted Aston in locating its current nickel targets and discovery at Bardwell, which is its focus.

“We are aiming to complete follow up drilling on alternative drill orientation with the aim of determining the controls on this high-grade domain of mineralisation.”

Edleston project

Located in Ontario, Aston wholly-owns Edleston which is prospective for both gold and nickel.

The project in close to numerous multi-million ounce gold deposits and operations as well as skilled labour and infrastructure.