Ventnor Commences Follow Up Drilling at Biranup Project
Released
Released
Announcement PDF
8 November 2016
ASX ANNOUNCEMENT
VENTNOR COMMENCES FOLLOW UP DRILLING AT
BIRANUP PROJECT
Drilling to start on two EM survey targets
Both targets coincident with geochemical anomalies
Adjacent ground applications submitted
Ventnor Resources Ltd (Ventnor) (ASX: VRX) will commence drilling
this week at its Silver Dragon and Fire Dragon base metal prospects
within the Biranup Project area, 370 kilometres north-east of
Kalgoorlie in Western Australia, as it seeks to define mineralisation at
the two targets generated from previous EM surveys.
Two Moving Loop Electromagnetic (MLEM) geophysical surveys
were undertaken at the Silver Dragon and Fire Dragon prospects,
including an extension to the Fire Dragon survey following a strong
response at the margins of the original survey area.
Managing Director Bruce Maluish said: “The response from the
MLEM survey produced two compelling base metal anomalies, which
we plan to test with this drilling campaign.”
The prospectivity of both the Silver Dragon and Fire Dragon
prospects is also well supported by coincident geochemical results,
which are anomalous in base metals.
“The drilling at Fire Dragon will test the mineralisation of the MLEM
conductor, while the hole to be drilled at Silver Dragon will be set up
to enable a down hole EM survey to undertaken,” Maluish said.
ASX: VRX
Capital Structure
Shares on Issue 223
million (post rights issue)
Unlisted Options 13.88
million
Market Cap @ 2¢ a share
$4.5 million (fully diluted)
Cash $2.4M (post rights
issue)
Corporate Directory
Paul Boyatzis
Non-Executive Chairman
Bruce Maluish
Managing Director
Peter Pawlowitsch
Non-Executive Director
John Geary
Company Secretary
Company Projects
Ventnor has a continuing
royalty on future
production by Sandfire
from the Thaduna/Green
Dragon Copper Project in
the Doolgunna district,
WA.
Biranup Project adjacent
to the Tropicana Gold
Mine.
Warrawanda Nickel
Project south of Newman,
WA.
The Company is actively
assessing other gold and
base metal projects in
Australia.
Detailed Information
On 1 November 2016 it was announced that additional MLEM survey lines were being
added to the survey program as a result of the survey identifying a strong anomalous EM
response interpreted to be associated with a large dipping conductor at Fire Dragon, with the
intent of generating high priority drill target areas. This MLEM survey has been completed
and has extended the strike extent of interpreted bedrock conductor plate which will be drill
tested.
An additional MLEM survey was completed at the Silver Dragon prospect and has identified
a subtle anomalous EM response that will be tested by drilling a hole to enable a down hole
EM survey to be undertaken.
Fire Dragon
Fire Dragon became an area of interest as reported on 15th November 2015, and
subsequently Ventnor acquired 50m line spaced aeromagnetic and 500m line spaced
airborne EM (SPECTREM) data from the previous tenement holder. The analysis of these
data sets motivated the recently completed MLEM survey.
MLEM surveying was carried out along 200m spaced E-W traverses to follow up on a strong
anomalous conductor response identified from the SPECTREM survey. The ground EM
survey resolved a strong anomalous EM response indicative of a bedrock conductor. The
EM anomaly is also associated with a weak magnetic anomaly. The EM and magnetic
anomaly responses have been modelled by geophysical consultants and high priority drill
target areas have been identified.
3D view of modelled EM conductor plates with magnetic inversion result as
smooth red bodies and MLEM profile responses with modelled source
conductors as yellow and red “plates”
MLEM profile responses showing the Fire Dragon MLEM anomaly in hot
colours on a magnetic image of the prospect area
Analysis of the existing geological dataset generated from previous drilling supports the
geophysical interpretation. The image below shows the 400m x 100m spaced aircore (AC)
drilling that was completed to blade refusal, and the hole depths. Geological logging of the
holes suggests that Fire Dragon is largely covered by transported sediments to a depth of
60-80m and geophysical modelling of the anomalous EM response suggests a depth of
greater than 100m to the top of the MLEM conductor.
Fire Dragon aircore drill hole depths
The bottom of hole (BOH) of AC drilling was assayed for a large multielement suite and
analysis of this supports the veiw that the EM conductor should be drill tested.
The strongest consistent anomalism in the bottom of hole air-core (AC) assays is for cobalt
which assays suggest is parallel to the conductor plate. Hole MDA345 appears to intersect
the location of the conductor at the basement, and this hole shows significantly anomalous
geochemical results of:
Hole ID
Northing
Easting
Interval
From
(m)
To (m)
Downhole
Width (m)
Intersection
MDA345
6,778,463
664,282
1
61
62
1
0.32
Co (%)
Ag (g/t)
29
Mo (ppm)
4
W (ppm)
177
Ba (ppm)
411
The area in general shows anomalism in many of these and other elements, however with
the AC drilling being vertical and drilled on such a wide spacing it is difficult to ascertain
strong trends. It is anticipated that drilling of the conductor will resolve the issue of
mineralisation, the basement stratigraphy and allow a better understanding of the MLEM
conductor.
Fire Dragon modelled MLEM conductor plate shown as a blue rectangle over 50m tilt
derivative magnetic image
The image above shows the modelled MLEM conductor plate over a 50m spaced magnetic
image. The trend line in green is where the conductor plate has been projected up to
intersect the top of the basement, and then interpreted from the magnetics.
Silver Dragon
MLEM surveying was carried out at the copper-nickel Silver Dragon prospect using
regionally spaced traverses (400m) and 100m spaced stations. The MLEM survey was
designed to try and identify conductive bedrock EM anomaly responses for further follow up
in the prospect area associated with magnetic and geochemical anomalism. The image
below shows the auger geochemistry at Silver Dragon overlain on the magnetics with the
recently completed MLEM lines.
The Silver Dragon MLEM survey results have assisted interpreting the geochemical
samples, and has identified a very subtle anomalous response to the west of the WMC 1997
soil sample highlighted in the following figure. The anomaly is currently being modelled by
geophysical consultants to provide a vector for drill targeting. Drilling will be followed up with
a downhole EM (DHEM) survey.
Silver Dragon magnetic anomaly features with geochemical anomaly
outlines
The magnetic body shows ovoid features and is associated with the following anomalism
from the multi-element auger geochemical sampling”
Mg – Enriched
Fe – Depleted
Zn – Enriched
Cu – Enriched
Co – Enriched
Ni – Enriched
It should be noted in addition to the image above is that of a LAG soil sample taken by
Western Mining Corporation (WMC) in 1997, which returned a value of 315ppm Ni and
160ppm Cu above very low background. WMC commenced exploration in the area with a
large tenement holding as their Pleiades Lakes Project, with the stated aim to target the area
for Voiseys Bay style mafic hosted nickel sulphide deposits. The project focused on 14
magnetic anomalies generated from a large aeromag survey over a 3 year period.
Of the 14 magnetic targets, one target (PL6) stood out as having the most significant nickel
and copper anomalism. The soil sample shown on the image above followed an anomalous
rock chip taken from the outcrop at Silver Dragon. This position is proximal to the identified
contactor and makes for a compelling target to be investigated as proposed.
New Ground applications
Ventnor has made an additional four applications for Exploration Licences adjacent to the
Biranup Project. The additional licences are for 77 graticular blocks for a total project area of
370 km2.
The priority for these new areas is for the Company to once again accumulate the historic
data applicable to the areas. There is available a significant geophysical, geochem and
drilling database which will enable Ventnor to isolate areas of interest and select prospects
for further exploration for base metals and gold.
Further information:
Bruce Maluish
Managing Director
Ventnor Resources
0418 940 417
Warrick Hazeldine
Cannings Purple
whazeldine@canningspurple.com.au
0417 944 616
Competent Person’s Statement
The information in this release that relates to Exploration Results is based on, and fairly represents,
information compiled by Mr David Reid who is a Member of the Australian Institute of Geoscientists
(MAIG). Mr Reid is a contractor to Ventnor Resources Limited. Mr Reid has sufficient experience
which is relevant to the style of mineralisation and type of deposit under consideration and to the
activity which he is undertaking to qualify as a Competent Person as defined in the “2012 Edition of
the Australasian Code for Reporting of Exploration Results, Mineral Resources and Ore Reserves”.
Mr Reid consents to the inclusion in this report of the matters based on information provided by him
and in the form and context in which it appears.
ABOUT VENTNOR
Ventnor Resources is a gold and base metals-focused explorer that reached agreement with its JV
partner Sandfire Resources NL for Sandfire to acquire 100% ownership of the historic Thaduna/Green
Dragon Copper Project, 170 km north of Meekatharra in Western Australia, with Ventnor to maintain a
royalty interest.
The Thaduna/Green Dragon Project is located 40km east of DeGrussa and represents the largest
copper resource in the Doolgunna-Bryah Basin Region outside of Sandfire’s DeGrussa-Doolgunna
Project.
Ventnor has been granted a tenement (Biranup Project) adjacent to the Tropicana Gold Mine in WA
that is prospective for gold and base metals, with prospects identified following an extensive review of
historical data. The Company has compiled an extensive database of historic exploration, has
completed an initial drill program on the Black Dragon Gold Prospect and as detailed here a MLEM
survey at two prospects.
Also in Western Australia, 40 km south of Newman, is Ventnor’s Warrawanda Nickel Project.
Proven Management
The Ventnor directors have extensive experience in gold exploration and production and in the
management of publicly listed mining and exploration companies.
PROJECT LOCATIONS
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