Navarre Minerals reports high-grade gold results from Crush Creek campaign
A highlight intercept from the BV7 prospect was 3.1m at 211.6g/t gold from 94.8m.
After recently joining gold producer ranks, Navarre Minerals (ASX: NML) has reported further high-grade gold intercepts from a 2021 drilling campaign at the Crush Creek project, which is part of the newly-acquired Mt Carlton operation in north Queensland.
The results pertain to the last 13 holes completed across the advanced BV7 prospect and the early-stage Gamma target.
The campaign comprised 111 drill holes for a total 16,903m, with hole lengths ranging from 40m to 347m and averaging approximately 150m.
Highlights from BV7 were 3.1m at 211.6 grams per tonne gold from 94.8m; 5m at 9.2g/t gold from 96m; 4m at 5.1g/t gold from 101m; and 14.3m at 3.5g/t gold from 121m.
A best result of 2m at 13.7g/t gold from Gamma has elevated that prospect to priority drill status.
Drilling was carried out by Evolution Mining (ASX: EVN) ahead of Navarre assuming formal ownership of the Mt Carlton operation in December.
The $90 million acquisition transitioned the exploration company to the ranks of gold producer.
Updated mineral resource
The new assays follow on from previous high-grade gold results from Crush Creek and are expected to be incorporated into an updated resource estimate, which is on-track to be released next month.
They will also be used to update resource estimates and ore reserve statements for other Mt Carlton prospects such as V2, A39, Telstra Hill and Mount Carlton United.
Development opportunities
Navarre managing director Ian Holland said the high-grade results highlight the project development opportunities of Crush Creek.
“We are pleased with the tenor and width of these results reinforce our belief that the delineated mineralisation at BV7 has the potential to significantly extend the mine life at Mt Carlton,” he said.
“The intercept of 211.6g/t gold continues to demonstrate scope to upgrade the confidence and tenor of the project’s mineral inventory.”
Critical mass
Drilling at Crush Creek has paused for the wet season and is expected to resume in the next quarter to test shallow extensional and discovery targets with the aim of extending the envelope of known mineralisation.
Navarre hopes to build critical mass for high-grade new gold developments as potential satellite mill feed within trucking distance of the Mt Carlton processing facility.