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The Stavely Project also contains one of Australia's larger copper anomalies associated with a copper-porphyry complex at Thursday's Gossan. Previous explorers, including most recently Newcrest, drilled a number of holes in the area targeting a large porphyry copper system, similar to Cadia/Ridgeway or North Parkes in NSW. Some encouraging intersections were recorded including VICT1D4 (229m at 0.22% copper) and DD96WL10 (186m at 0.15% copper) but it appears that the necessary deep diamond drilling required to fully test the prospect was not attractive at the significantly lower copper prices prevailing at the time.
Beaconsfield Gold's current focus is on the potential for near-surface copper mineralisation that would support a heap leach operation based on previous shallow intersections of copper-gold mineralisation associated with a secondary (supergene) chalcocite blanket. A program of 1 RC and 12 aircore holes were drilled during November 2006 for a total of 696m. More significant results, based on a total copper assay, included:
Hole Number
|
Northing
(MGA)
|
Easting
(MGA)
|
Note
(1)
|
From
(m)
|
To
(m)
|
Interval
(m)
|
Grade
(Cu %)
|
TGAC4
|
5836668
|
641810
|
|
21
|
63
|
42
|
0.60
|
TGAC6
|
5836574
|
641875
|
|
27
|
39
|
12
|
0.56
|
TGAC10
|
5836439
|
642097
|
|
20
|
62
|
42
|
0.67
|
TGAC11
|
5836386
|
642133
|
|
44
|
65
|
21
|
0.80
|
TGAC12
|
5836327
|
642175
|
|
26
|
68
|
42
|
0.83
|
TGAC13
|
5836265
|
642217
|
(2) (3)
|
41
|
80
|
39
|
0.58
|
(1) All holes drilled vertically
(2) Hole ended in copper mineralisation
(3) Hole also intersected 9 metres at 1.8 g/t gold from 26 metres depth
The drilling confirmed the existence of a main body of continuous supergene copper mineralisation, of significant thickness and favourable open pit mining characteristics, that extends over some 600 metres from TGAC4 to TGAC13. The mineralisation is open to the south east. The most southerly hole drilled, TGAC13, also intersected 9 metres at 1.8 g/t gold from 26 metres depth in the oxide zone overlying the supergene copper zone.
Preliminary metallurgical testwork on samples from the better intersections to determine the leachability of the mineralisation under different conditions has been encouraging. Further testwork is being undertaken.
A follow-up program was completed in March 2008. A total of 32 holes were drilled, comprising 18 infill holes on the known mineralisation and a further 14 holes targeting a previously untested extension to the south east. Samples have been submitted for assay and results are awaited.
Visual logging confirmed
the mineralisation previously encountered and suggested that the south east
extension will add about 30% to the surface area of the deposit. A diamond hole
was drilled in May 2008 to obtain density data required to complete a JORC
compliant resource estimate.
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