Dart Mining exploration strategy succeeds in outlining main mineralised corridors
Dart Mining claims the Lachlan Fold Belt in Victoria’s northeast is a “highly prospective area”.
Victorian explorer Dart Mining (ASX: DTM) says it has successfully outlined the main structural and mineralised corridors within its projects in the northeast of the state.
The company has identified lithium-caesium-tantalum pegmatites in northeast Victoria along one of these structural corridors. It believes the mineralisation is consistent with the concept of base metal, precious metal and rare earth element (REE) enrichment.
Dart is exploring nine goldfields, where multiple historic mines operated, along with two lithium-tin-tantalum prospects, and six porphyry gold-copper-molybdenum projects.
The company, in issuing an update on its exploration strategy, tenements, footprint and prospectivity, noted that its key founding strategy in 2007 was to seek opportunities for porphyry-style mineralisation in the region.
Northeast Victoria has a variety of prospective granite plutons which have been demonstrated by Dart Mining and others to contain copper, gold, silver, zinc, lithium, tin, tantalum, molybdenum and vanadium.
Ground underlain by huge mineral arc
The region is thought to be underlain by the Macquarie Arc which also hosts the NSW mining centres of Cadia and Ridgeway, where Newcrest Mining (ASX: NCM) has its large operations.
“This is a highly prospective area and is recognised by the Geological Survey of Victoria as being one of two newly recognised arc belts within Victoria, the other being the Stavely [gold] belt in western Victoria,” the company says.
Dart said today that, in line with the company’s strategy, it is expanding its footprint with the recent granting of seven new tenements, consisting of two retention licences, four exploration licences and a mining licence.
Drill results delayed by laboratory backlog
In its recent report for the December quarter, Dart said it had managed to complete its 2020 drilling program in spite of the “often severe” operating restrictions imposed by the state government due to the COVID-19 virus.
“Dart was able to safely complete a 5,000m drill program across four projects in steep, semi-alpine terrain throughout one of the wettest Spring periods in recent years,” the company reported.
“The successful completion of the drilling is testament to the company’s enthusiastic, can-do approach and commitment to operating to the highest environmental and community standards with a COVID-19-safe framework.”
However, delays in laboratory processing times has delayed the delivery of drill results.
These are now expected to be released over the next few weeks.