Investigator Resources starts drilling at Uno Range and Morgans
Investigator Resources has kicked off a 26-hole drilling program in South Australia.
Investigator Resources (ASX: IVR) has announced the start of drilling at its wholly-owned Uno Range and Morgans tenements, about 60km east of the explorer’s flagship Paris silver project in South Australia.
The initial 3,200m reverse circulation program will comprise 26 holes targeting seven prospects across the tenements, which have a similar geological setting to the Paris/Peter-lumbo project area and are regarded as prospective for gold, silver, base metals and copper.
The prospects are supported by historical drilling in the area, geophysical analysis, review and evaluation work, as well as mapping and soil sampling undertaken last year.
Targets include potential for silver/base metals and copper/gold and comprise additional drilling on historic prospects along with recently generated targets.
Investigator managing director Andrew McIlwain said the company had explored some of these targets with “some encouraging results” before 2015, but then focus shifted to the Paris project.
“Historical drilling, rock chip and soil sampling data has informed the planned 26-hole program, with particular focus on the Uno North and 12 Mile prospects,” he said.
“All targets are interpreted as prospective for silver and base metals, with opportunity for gold and copper potential at a number of targets.”
Mr McIlwain believes exploration success at the Uno Range and Morgans tenements could add “significant value” to Paris, which is a shallow, high-grade silver deposit amenable to open pit mining.
The project already hosts a JORC resource of 18.8 million tonnes grading at 88 grams per tonne silver and 0.52% lead for 53.1 million ounces of silver and 97,600t of lead.
2022 field program delayed by floods
The start of drilling had been delayed due to recent flooding in the area. The program is expected to take two weeks to complete, upon which the rig will immediately move to begin a 7,000m program across six regional exploration targets surrounding Paris.
“While the rain has delayed the planned start of our 2022 field work, the Investigator team – bolstered with the recent employment of two additional exploration geologists and a senior field technician – are keen to deliver results from this drill program across these East Eyre tenements,” Mr McIlwain said.
He described 2022 as a “busy year in the field” with the company planning to get back into drilling on the Paris resource after drilling the regional targets around the deposit.