PolarX identifies visible gold-silver mineralisation at Star Canyon
PolarX started its drilling program at Humboldt Range two weeks ago at the Fourth of July claims.
PolarX (ASX: PXX) has identified visible mineralisation in all holes drilled to date at the Star Canyon prospect within its Humboldt Range gold-silver project in Nevada.
The company commenced a 3,000m reverse circulation campaign two weeks ago targeting bulk-tonnage, low-to-moderate grade mineralisation at the northern end of the project.
Ten holes have been drilled to date for a total 1,500m to test a coherent gold-in-soil anomaly concealed under thin soils to the north and south, and open and untested beneath cover.
Star Canyon sits within a broader anomaly measuring 2,300m in length and 900m in width and grading more than 30 parts per billion gold.
Mineralised limestone
All holes encountered variably altered and mineralised limestone.
The limestone is believed to be locally intensely bleached and silicified in zones ranging from a few metres to many tens of metres downhole widths.
Ubiquitous pyrite (iron-sulphide) and locally arsenopyrite (iron-arsenic sulphide) and stibnite (antimony sulphide) were logged in drill chips.
PolarX said the early visual results were consistent with the styles of alteration and mineralisation commonly associated with Carlin-type deposits in Nevada, which remains a world-class precious metals province.
Assays would be needed to determine if the mineralisation is of commercial significance.
Initial results are expected before mid-June.
Humboldt Range project
The Humboldt Range project comprises 333 lode mining claims across the Black Canyon and Fourth of July claims, between the large-scale Florida Canyon gold mine and the Rochester silver-gold mine.
Humboldt Range contains geology consistent with bonanza-style and bulk mineable epithermal gold-silver mineralisation, both of which are well known in Nevada.
Widespread narrow vein mineralisation with visible gold occurs within the claims and was historically mined via numerous adits and underground workings between 1865 and the 1927.
The mineralisation occurs in swarms of high-grade epithermal quartz veins of up to 3m in thickness, either isolated or as broad zones of sheeted (anastomosing) veins within zones of intensely altered and mineralised host rocks.