Heavy Minerals completes maiden drilling program at Red Hill with ‘positive visual results’
Heavy Minerals has revealed ‘positive visual results’ at the WA garnet prospect.
Perth-based explorer Heavy Minerals (ASX: HVY) has announced the completion of its maiden drilling program at the Red Hill garnet prospect in Western Australia.
The 48-hole, 1,815-metre air core program was designed to test the heavy mineral potential of the project. The company has reported “many positive visual results” with assay results anticipated in March.
Heavy Minerals then hopes to release a resource in the second quarter of 2023, pending positive results.
The company also recently completed an additional 23-hole, 726m air core drilling program at its Port Gregory project to test resource extensions to the north, east and south. The decision to complete this additional drilling was based on the positive assays already returned from an infill and extension drilling campaign undertaken in November and December.
Encouraging visual results at Red Hill
Heavy Minerals non-executive chairman Adam Schofield said the visual results obtained from panning at Red Hill suggest positive drilling results, which could lead to the delineation of a second resource for the company.
He added that the decision to extend drilling at Port Gregory was aided by the availability of the Bostech drill rig post completion of the Red Hill program.
“The company anticipates it will commence its pre-feasibility study for the Port Gregory project in April 2023,” Mr Schofield said.
“The company will strive to add significant value to the project via resource expansion and feasibility work over the next 12 months.”
2023 work program
In today’s update, Heavy Minerals has outlined a timeline for the first half of 2023, including anticipated assays results for Port Gregory in February and for Red Hill in March.
The updated Port Gregory JORC resource is scheduled for delivery in March, before Red Hill’s expected maiden resource in April.
The Port Gregory pre-feasibility study is expected to start in April, followed by a scoping level metallurgical study at Red Hill in June.