Hammer Metals Intersects Visible Gold Near Boundary of Northern Star’s Bronzewing Mine

Exploration by Hammer Metals (ASX: HMX) at the Bronzewing South target within its wholly-owned Yandal gold project in Western Australia has intersected visible gold near the boundary of Northern Star Resources’ (ASX: NST) Bronzewing mine.

Initial diamond drilling at the Eastern Boundary Zone returned several instances of fine-grained gold mineralisation, as well as visible gold within a 6.8 metre-wide zone of quartz veining and quartz vein breccia associated with intense alteration.

Great Central Mines identified the zone – which commences at the tenement boundary of the 3 million ounce Bronzewing development – in 1995.

Historical Intercepts

Hammer’s campaign targeted historical intercepts grading more than 20 grams per tonne gold, located 40m from the Bronzewing South boundary.

The company reported encouraging mineralisation at the pre-collar of the zone, with a best result of 4m at 0.8g/t gold from 187m including 2m at 1.43g/t from 189m.

Hammer has also completed a reverse circulation campaign comprising 11 holes for 1,753m across Bronzewing South and numerous soil and rock chip gold anomalies at the granite contact of the Ken’s Bore prospect.

Exciting Exploration Results

Managing director Daniel Thomas said drilling results from Bronzewing South had been “very exciting” for the company’s exploration team.

“Intersecting visible gold in any setting is a fantastic development, and to do so just 40m south of the boundary of one of WA’s great gold mines is clearly an exciting breakthrough that validates the Bronzewing South exploration target,” he said.

“While it is important for us to wait for assays, we are very encouraged by the drilling and believe it opens up a significant search space for gold mineralisation adjacent to the former Bronzewing mine.”

Hammer believes the paucity of historical shallow drilling on the tenure provides it with a “tremendous gold exploration opportunity” and will continue to test other planned targets within the current program, while establishing an immediate plan for follow-up drilling.

Yandal Project Review

A recent review of the Yandal project area highlighted the significant potential of Bronzewing South, where a protracted legal dispute and depressed gold prices had restricted effective historical exploration.

Since acquiring the project in 2019, Hammer’s exploration focus on the project’s shallow gold potential has delineated an inferred mineral resource at the Orelia North deposit totalling 1.48 million tonnes at 1.15g/t gold for 54,500 ounces.

The deposit sits approximately 9.5 kilometres to the north of Northern Star’s Orelia gold mining operations.