Drilling at Montague gold project returns high-grade results for Gateway Mining

Gateway Mining (ASX: GML) has reported shallow high-grade results from reverse circulation drilling at the historic Montague-Boulder deposit within its wholly-owned Montague gold project in Western Australia.

Drilling was part of a larger program to test strike extensions to several of Gateway’s existing deposits within the granodiorite unit.

A total of nine holes for 1,266 metres was completed on various drill sections around the current inferred and indicated gold resource of 163,000 ounces.

Gateway tested extensions to the north and east along strike, as well as the continuation of mineralisation below the historic Montague-Boulder open pit.

Mining at Montague-Boulder was originally carried out by Herald Resources between 1988 and 1993.

Near-surface intersections

Several near-surface intersections were recorded immediately east of the current resource, hosted by a flat zone of mineralisation within the granodiorite unit.

Best results were: 4m at 8.7 grams per tonne gold from 14m; 1m at 5.8g/t gold from 53m; 4m at 2.3g/t gold from 5m; and 1m at 2.2g/t gold from 8m.

One hole was drilled immediately adjacent to the historic pit to continue testing an unmined zone of mineralisation.

This zone was never tested prior to mining of the Montague-Boulder open pit, and is still in situ immediately below the historic workings.

The hole intersected the interpreted structure at depth and returned 5m at 3.6g/t gold from 139m to complement previous results of 5m at 2.7g/t gold from 115m, 7m at 3g/t gold from 84m, and 7m at 1.5g/t gold from 113m.

Gateway said the previously untested nature of this zone within the granodiorite presents an “exciting exploration target” for the addition of significant primary mineralisation within the footprint of the Montague project resource.

Follow-up drilling

Gateway managing director Mark Cossom said the company has planned follow-up reverse circulation and diamond drilling to continue unlocking the zone.

“Our strategically-targeted drilling at the Montague-Boulder deposit has demonstrated a clear opportunity to grow the Montague resource along strike… importantly, these new intercepts are at very good grades and are located close to surface,” he said.

“Drilling below the historic open pits has demonstrated the opportunity to add further ounces in the primary zone below the current mineral resource and opens up an exciting avenue for follow-up drilling next year.”