Breaker targets resource expansion and underground operations at Bombora gold deposit
Breaker reported a highlight 0.4m at 67.3g/t gold intercept below the 1Moz Bombora resource.
Perth junior Breaker Resources (ASX: BRB) has discovered several new high-grade lodes from deeper drilling below an open pit resource within its Lake Roe gold project near Kalgoorlie.
Results received from four reconnaissance diamond drill holes completed below the northern part of the Bombora deposit have highlighted the possibility of expanding the existing 1 million ounce resource at depth.
The holes were spaced 300m apart for a total 4,008m and aimed to scope out the potential for future underground mining below the open pit resource ahead of a targeted resource definition program.
All holes encountered significant gold mineralisation with visible gold present in several intersections, including the deepest reported to date at Bombora in two new steep lodes situated approximately 600m below surface.
Notable assays were 19.6m at 3.13 grams per tonne gold, including 1.3m at 42.7g/t gold; 5.7m at 5.56g/t gold, including 1.37m at 20g/t gold; and 2.65m at 10.6g/t gold, including 0.4m at 67.3g/t gold.
The results have extended the strike length of the high-grade gold lodes below the open pit resource by 600m to the north.
When combined with results from previous reconnaissance drilling at depth, the overall strike length of known high-grade gold lodes below the open pit resource increases to 2km.
Growth potential
Executive chairman Tom Sanders said the results demonstrate the scale of the gold system at Bombora and complement last week’s discovery at the Kopai prospect 3km to the north.
Assays received from that program indicate the potential for Kopai to be a significant new gold discovery, with highlights including 4m at 2.68g/t gold from 20m within 8m at 1.68g/t Au; and 4m at 4.54g/t gold from 84m, within 9m at 2.90g/t to end of hole
“The success we have achieved at Kopai, and now directly below the northern part of the Bombora resource, shows the multiple options we have to grow the project – something that differentiates this project from many of its peers,” Mr Sanders said.
“The new drilling has confirmed a 2km strike length of high-grade gold mineralisation situated directly below an extensively de-risked open pit resource, 80% of which is in the indicated category.”
Underground mining
The results highlight “strong potential” for a significant increase in the resource at grades typically amenable to underground mining.
“It is important to note that the high-grade lodes we are seeing at depth at Bombora are similar to the high-grade lodes present in the open pit resource,” Mr Sanders said.
“In some cases, they are extensions of the same lodes but without a low grade halo that is typically applied in an open pit setting.
“By varying the lower cut-off grade, it becomes apparent that the mineralisation can be approached with either an open pit or underground scenario in mind.”
Hard yards
Breaker’s management team remained impressed with the potential of the greater Lake Roe project.
“Not all projects are like this, and Bombara’s results have scope to add a lot of value to Lake Roe,” Mr Sanders said.
“We have done the hard yards on the de-risking front, establishing continuity in the upper part of Bombora after extensive drilling and 3D modelling [and] we are now projecting the high-grade lodes over large distances at depth – either hitting them with our reconnaissance drill holes or discovering new lodes in the process, or both.”