Black Hills: Multiple Gold Zones Identified

RNS Number : 7006O

Greatland Gold PLC

21 May 2018

 

21 May 2018

Dissemination of a Regulatory Announcement that contains inside information according to REGULATION (EU) No 596/2014 (MAR).

Greatland Gold plc

("Greatland" or "the Company")

Black Hills: Multiple Gold Zones Identified, New Exploration Programme

Greatland to commence a new exploration programme at its Black Hills licence following a review of historic data that has highlighted several high priority gold prospects

Greatland Gold plc (AIM: GGP), the precious and base metals exploration and development company, is pleased to announce that a comprehensive review of historic data has identified four distinct zones of gold mineralisation at its 100% owned Black Hills licence. Furthermore, the Company is pleased to announce plans for its first exploration programme at Black Hills, which is scheduled to commence within the next few weeks.

Highlights:

Review of historic data highlights the potential for high-grade, near-surface gold mineralisation at several prospects throughout the Black Hills licence including Saddle Reefs, Eastern, Rogers and Northern Granites:

·     Saddle Reefs prospect

o  strong surface gold mineralisation is present, with rock chip results including 55.6g/t, 20.0g/t and 19.65g/t, over an area of approximately 1,400m by 800m, and sporadic drilling results including 3m at 9.14g/t gold from 26m downhole and 1m at 21.2g/t from 27m (CBR073);

·     Eastern prospect

o  a linear zone of gold mineralised stratigraphy is apparent over a strike of approximately 4km, and broad spaced drilling along the zone has returned results including 1m at 10.0g/t gold from 16m (CBH138), 1m at 4.93g/t from 12m (CBH071) and 1m at 3.12g/t from 37m (NBH004);

·     Rogers and Northern Granites prospects

o  both show prospective gold mineralisation at surface with rock chip results including 50.2g/t, 10.45g/t and 6.9g/t and very limited historical drilling.

Greatland expects to commence field work in the next few weeks, including surface geochemical sampling and geological mapping, to determine the areas with the greatest potential for high-grade gold mineralisation. Results of this work will outline drill targets at the Black Hills project.

The Black Hills gold project covers 25 square kilometres and is located in the Paterson Region of Western Australia and lies adjacent to the Company's Havieron licence. Previous work by companies including Newcrest Limited has outlined several zones of gold mineralisation in rocks equivalent to those of the large Telfer gold deposit (27m oz) which lies 30km to the west. Management believes that the gold mineralisation identified to date on the Black Hills licence may extend into the north western portion of Greatland's Havieron licence.

Gervaise Heddle, Chief Executive Officer, commented: "Our first exploration programme at Black Hills marks another important step for Greatland. Sitting near the 27 million ounce Telfer gold deposit and hosting an equivalent style of mineralisation, Black Hills represents a compelling and high priority exploration opportunity for the Company.

"Results from our forensic review of the historic data have further highlighted the licence's prospectivity for multiple zones of high-grade, near-surface gold mineralisation. Importantly, this means that exploring Black Hills' potential will be a relatively low-cost and low-risk endeavour, but one with substantial potential upside.

"The Black Hills project epitomises our strategy of targeting under-explored areas with great potential. We believe it represents an excellent opportunity for Greatland and we are excited to get started with the exploration programme."

Overview of Paterson Project and Black Hills licence

The Company's Paterson project comprises the Havieron, Paterson Range East, and Black Hills licences, located in the Paterson region of northern Western Australia. The three licences collectively cover more than 385 square kilometres prospective for iron-oxide-copper-gold ("IOCG") deposits and Telfer style gold deposits.

The Paterson region hosts several large gold and copper deposits such as Telfer (27m oz gold) and Nifty (2m t copper). The region has been subject to more recent exploration which has outlined several other deposits including Magnum (Au), Calibre (Au), O'Callaghans (Cu) and Maroochydore (Cu). The region is remote, however infrastructure is good with several operating mines, roads, formed tracks and rail networks nearby which branch out from the regional industrial hub of Port Hedland 500km to the west.

The Black Hills licence, E45/4512, lies 30 km east of the large Telfer gold mine (27m oz). Black Hills is a granted exploration licence that covers 25 square kilometres and sits adjacent to the Company's Havieron exploration licence. The Black Hills licence is regarded as having high potential to host gold deposits similar to Telfer. There has been a reasonable amount of historical exploration work at Black Hills with several discrete zones of mineralisation identified over 5km of strike. Rock chip samples have returned up to 90g/t gold, and commonly 20g/t gold, with free (visible) gold in places. Drill intercepts include 3m at 9.14g/t gold from 26m downhole (incl. 1m at 21.2g/t from 27m (CBR073)), 1m at 10.0g/t gold from 16m (CBH138), 1m at 4.93g/t from 12m (CBH071) and 1m at 3.12g/t from 37m (NBH004). Historical drill spacing appears quite broad with holes at least 400m apart, some up to 600m.

Gold prospects identified to date extend from Black Hills into the north western parts of the Havieron licence. Proterozoic sandstone and carbonate rocks of the Yeneena Group formations are present, including the Telfer Formation, in a domal structure which is the equivalent geology to that of the large Telfer gold deposit (27m oz) located 30km to the west.

A large amount of historical surface exploration data for the Black Hills area has been compiled and merged into the Company's database. This is the first time all data has been merged and interrogated with modern technologies. Gold mineralisation has been outlined at several prospects throughout the licence including Saddle Reefs, Eastern, Rogers and Northern Granites (within an area of 6.5km x 2km).

Strong surface gold mineralisation is present at the Saddle Reefs prospect with rock chips including 55.6g/t, 20.0g/t, 19.65g/t, 18.45g/t and 17.0g/t over an area of approximately 1,400m x 800m. The zone has a north-westly trend and sporadic drilling with results including 3m at 9.14g/t gold from 26m downhole, including 1m at 21.2g/t from 27m, in hole CBR073. This zone is in the core of an anticlinal feature and, overall, is gold prospective over a strike length of approximately 3km.

At the Eastern prospect a linear zone of gold mineralised stratigraphy is apparent over a strike of approximately 4km. Surface rock chip results include 1.9g/t gold, 1.2g/t gold and 1.0g/t gold. Broad spaced drilling along the zone has returned results including 1m at 10.0g/t gold from 16m (CBH138), 1m a 4.93g/t from 12m (CBH071) and 1m at 3.12g/t from 37m (NBH004). The mineralisation appears to track along a structural contact and the focus will be on identifying the higher grade mineralisation along this trend.

The other prospects of Rogers and Northern Granites show prospective gold mineralisation at surface with rock chip results including 50.2g/t and 10.45g/t at Rogers and 6.9g/t at Northern Granites. Drill testing is limited but results have included 1m at 1.48g/t from 38m (NBH008) at Rogers and 1m at 2.35g/t gold from 5m (CBH253) at Northern Granites.

The Company will carry out field work over several prospects at Black Hill during June and July 2018. Work will include surface geochemical sampling and geological mapping to determine the areas with the greatest potential for high-grade gold mineralisation. Results of this work will outline drill targets at the Black Hills project.

Additional information on the Black Hills licence can be found under 'Paterson' on the Company web site at www.greatlandgold.com/projects.

Competent Person:

Information in this announcement that relates to exploration results is based on information compiled by Mr Callum Baxter, a director of Greatland Gold plc, who is a member of the Australasian Institute of Mining and Metallurgy and Australian Institute of Geoscientists. Mr Baxter has sufficient experience relevant to the style of mineralisation and type of deposit under consideration and to the activity which has been undertaken to qualify as a Competent Person as defined by the 2012 Edition of the Australasian Code for Reporting of Exploration Results, Mineral Resources and Ore Reserves (the JORC Code) and under the AIM Rules - Note for Mining and Oil & Gas Companies. Mr Baxter consents to the inclusion in the announcement of the matters based on their information in the form and context in which it appears.

Enquiries:

Greatland Gold PLC

Callum Baxter/Gervaise Heddle

Tel: [phone]

Email:  [e-mail]

www.greatlandgold.com

SPARK Advisory Partners Limited (Nominated Adviser)

Mark Brady/James Keeshan/Andrew Emmott

Tel: [phone]

SI Capital Limited (Broker)

Nick Emerson/Alan Gunn

Tel:  [phone]

Luther Pendragon (Media and Investor Relations)

Harry Chathli/Ana Ribeiro/Alexis Gore

Tel: [phone]

Notes for Editors:

Greatland Gold plc (AIM: GGP) is a London listed natural resource exploration and development company with a current focus on gold, nickel and cobalt exploration projects.  

The Company has six main projects; four situated in Western Australia and two in Tasmania.  All projects are 100% owned by Greatland or Greatland has the right to take 100% ownership.

Greatland is seeking to identify large mineral deposits in areas that have not been subject to extensive exploration previously.  It is widely recognised that the next generation of large deposits will come from such under-explored areas and Greatland is applying advanced exploration techniques to investigate a number of carefully selected targets within its focused licence portfolio.

The Company is also actively investigating a range of new opportunities in precious and strategic metals and will update the market on new opportunities as and when appropriate.

 

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