Mining

Zenith Minerals confirms new gold zones at Split Rocks

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By Robin Bromby - 
Zenith Minerals ASX ZNC new gold zones Split Rocks

Zenith Minerals has confirmed “strong gold mineralisation” at multiple targets within Split Rocks in WA.

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Strong gold mineralisation at multiple prospects is the latest news from Zenith Minerals (ASX: ZNC) on its Split Rocks project in Western Australia.

Split Rocks lies south of Southern Cross, and south of the Marvel Loch 3 million ounce mine and the Yilgarn Star deposit (2Moz) and north of the 2Moz Bounty deposit.

Split Rocks covers 650 square kilometres in the under-explored Forrestania greenstone belt.

Now, nine holes along the extension of the existing Dulcie laterite pit have added another 500m of gold mineralisation.

Latest drilling results from the pit extension include 4m at 9.3 grams per tonne, 4m at 2.8g/t, and 15m at 1g/t (including 3m at 2.4g/t).

The cumulative strike length of the extension now stands at 2,000m.

Following up ‘very robust’ 18km-long gold target

At the Dulcie pit itself, seven holes have intersected high grade gold zones comprising 12m at 2.5g/t (including 4m at 5.6g/t), and 16m at 1.1g/t.

Then, at Dulcie North, four holes follow up previous testing of near surface targets returned gold assays of 8m at 4.1g/t, 8m at 1.3g/t and 36m at 0.7g/t.

Six holes at the Water Bore prospect returned 4m at 10.4g/t gold, 8m at 1g/t gold, and 4m at 1.7g/t gold.

Chairman Peter Bird says the company has now validated a number of real mineralised prospects at Split Rocks.

In December, Zenith announced it had defined a “very robust” gold target at its Split Rocks project.

Zenith’s geological team previously identified 18 targets over a 18km strike length in the northeast section at Split Rocks.

The Dulcie laterite pit was one of those targets.

At Water Bore, Zenith says planning is in progress more reverse circulation drilling.

The company is also looking for an aircore drill rig to test new gold targets along the 18km of prospective strike.

Previous Split Rocks drilling focused on nickel

Historic drilling more than 20 years ago at Split Rocks was mainly in search of nickel and carried out at a time when the gold prices were significantly lower than today — for example, the average price in 1999 was US$278.88/oz.

Zenith’s target study has identified several “high-order” geochemical anomalies that were either never, or poorly, drill-tested.

In addition to the gold targeting exercise, Zenith says it has also been systematically exploring Split Rocks for lithium.

Split Rocks located from the Mt Holland pegmatite project, 50:50 owned by Wesfarmers (ASX: WES) and Chile’s SQM.

Zenith’s other projects include the Develin Creek copper-zinc project in Queensland.

The company announced this week that it is fast-tracking work at Develin Creek and Flanagan’s due to the looming global copper deficit.

There is also the Red Mountain gold project in Queensland and, in NSW, the Jackadgery gold project where Zenith is planning to drill to follow up historic intercepts.