Kingston Resources starts drilling at Pearse North target within Mineral Hill copper-gold project
Initial drilling in the current program at Mineral Hill will focus on the Pearse North open pit, and then move to the Southern Ore Zone.
Kingston Resources (ASX: KSN) has started surface drilling at the Mineral Hill copper-gold project in New South Wales.
A rig has been on site since early April, focused on the Pearse North open pit area.
The first phase of drilling aims to collect geotechnical data to enhance the structural model and refine pit slope parameters; and infill areas of the inferred mineral resource with a view to increasing the open pit mining inventory.
Kingston confirmed the rig has produced the first batch of diamond core.
Phase two drilling
In phase two of the program, Kingston’s rig will move to target the upper portions of the Southern Ore Zone (SOZ) by drilling up to six diamond holes from surface.
The work will aim to define key geological structures and gather additional geotechnical and orebody knowledge in order to optimise the stope designs and mining strategy for underground mining of the zone.
This part of the program is being jointly funded by the state government’s critical minerals and high-tech metals activation fund, from which Kingston was awarded a $500,000 grant in November.
Drilling is part of a broader program of approximately 4,000m to test existing geological models and explore for new systems.
Moving forward
Chief geologist Stuart Hayward said the company was keen to be moving forward with the drilling program.
“This program will help us strengthen our open pit mine planning and identify opportunities to expand our underground mineral resources,” he said.
“We are looking for other promising near-mine and regional prospects which offer enormous potential … the intersection of major regional lineaments within the Mineral Hill tenure makes it one of the most prospective sites in the state.”
Record gold sales
Last month, Kingston reported a new monthly record for gold sales from its tailings operation at Mineral Hill, totalling 1,776 ounces for March.
The achievement took gold sales for the March quarter to a record 4,431oz.
Kingston is currently processing tailings at Mineral Hill as it builds resources and reserves across the project to transition to traditional mining.