Livingstone drilling campaign returns high-grade gold results for Kingston Resources

A recently-completed drilling campaign at the Homestead prospect within Kingston Resources’ (ASX: KSN) 75%-owned Livingstone gold project in Western Australia has returned high-grade assay results.

The reverse circulation campaign comprised five holes for 513m and was undertaken within an existing JORC inferred resource envelope of 990,000 tonnes grading 1.6 grams per tonne gold for 50,000 ounces.

It was designed to expand on and confirm results from historical drilling conducted by Western Mining Corporation, Sons of Gwalia and Talisman Mining (ASX: TLM).

The campaign delivered best intercepts of 17m at 3.07g/t gold from 14m, including 1m at 7.94g/t from 16m and 2m at 9.36g/t from 24m; and 7m at 3.32g/t gold from 27m, including 1m at 9.74g/t from 27m and 2m at 5.08g/t from 30m.

Stanley Deeps drilling

Drilling at Livingstone’s Stanley Deeps prospect was designed to test a conceptual “high pressure seal” target and was co-funded through the WA government’s Exploration Incentive Scheme.

The program comprised three reverse circulation holes for 537m, with ground conditions resulting in a substantial lifting of the holes and only one hole successfully reaching the nominal target depth but not penetrating the target basement contact.

Anomalous gold was intercepted in one of the holes from 4m composite samples which will be submitted for assay in the new year.

Kingston managing director Andrew Corbett said Stanley presents a “compelling target” which requires further testing.

Winja prospect

At the Winja prospect, Kingston drilled six holes for 698m to test whether the mineralised shoot plunges at a steeper angle than previously interpreted.

Previous drilling through the shoot returned intersections of 18m at 7.85g/t gold from 68m; 13m at 3.71g/t from 52m; and 18m at 3.03g/t from 45m.

Further review of the geology at Winja will incorporate these results to refine the structural interpretation of the area.

“Winja remains an exciting target and an area of active interest for us,” Mr Corbett said.

Geological study

Kingston is conducting a project-wide study of the Livingstone tenement package to place the numerous prospects into a wider geological context and integrate all historical data as well as new information gained during Kingston’s tenure.

The study aims to enhance the company’s understanding of the relationship between mineralisation at the various deposits, incorporating them within a mineral systems model and identifying and ranking areas which are highly prospective on a deposit and district scale.

Mr Corbett said the reverse circulation campaign was “highly successful” and has improved the company’s confidence in historical results, with all holes returning intercepts of similar grade tenor and widths.

“The assay results demonstrate the high-grade nature of gold mineralisation at Livingstone and our project-wide geological review has confirmed the prospectivity of existing targets and highlighted new areas of interest which will be incorporated into our future exploration programs,” he said.

Misima project

Ongoing exploration at Livingstone will run in parallel with work programs at Kingston’s flagship Misima gold project in Papua New Guinea.

Last month, the company released a positive pre-feasibility study and maiden ore reserve which showed the economic viability of the proposed open pit mine development.

Kingston is planning to bring Misima back into production to churn out 130,000oz of gold per year over a 17-year mine life.