Purdy’s Reward yields high grade gold results

Novo has received Au results for multiple bulk samples collected late last year from trenches at Purdy’s Reward. These bulk samples were some of the first samples taken from the project and each weigh approximately 300 kg, a size Novo has recently determined insufficient to evaluate grades of this nuggety gold system. Nonetheless, results from these initial bulk samples provide insight into the grade distribution within the conglomerate section at Purdy’s Reward. Observations include: Concentrates from all samples yielded multiple flattened, “melon seed” nuggets attesting to the nuggety nature of the deposit.

The richest gold grades appear to be concentrated near the base of the conglomerate package immediately above the dolerite footwall. Grades of 87.8, 46.1, 10.6 and 15.7 g/t Au were obtained from samples of this material from trench 1 and 17.7 g/t Au from a sample from trench 2. Samples of footwall dolerite yielded significant gold, perhaps reflecting penetration of nuggets into this unit from above. Bulk samples of this material yielded grades of 4.1, 0.4 and 0.03 gpt Au from trench 1, and 2.2 and 2.7 gpt Au from trenches 2 and 3. Clearly, the underlying rock is prospective in areas immediately below the basal conglomerate. - Conglomerate samples taken from areas above the base contain occasional nuggety gold. Grades of 1.3 and 0.2 g/t Au were obtained from two samples of this material from trench 1 and 1.3 g/t Au from a sample from trench 2. Novo views these results as indicative only since field observations indicate nuggets originate from upper conglomerates. Novo thinks samples of 5-15 t will be necessary to better assess gold grades from these units. At the end of 2017, Novo collected a few approximately 6-t samples from a few trenches at Purdy’s Reward. These samples were collected after the recognition of the extreme nuggety nature of mineralisation and that most nuggets are concentrated near the base of the conglomerate sequence. In an effort to standardise bulk sampling protocols, Novo extracted each sample from flat panels of rock each 0.5 m thick and with a set footprint of 4 m2. One of these bulk samples will be the first through the new SGS plant. Results of this are expected shortly after processing. Novo is considering collecting additional samples in a similar manner at Purdy’s Reward and Comet Well pending return of these results.

Chairman and President of Novo Resources Corp., Dr. Quinton Hennigh, commented: “We are pleased to commence work again at Karratha.”

 

“Last year, we cut our teeth on this unusual gold deposit and gained valuable knowledge in the process. The erratic spread in gold grades seen from early small volume bulk samples of circa 300 kg bulk of footwall dolerite and upper conglomerates from Purdy’s Reward confirms the nuggety nature of mineralisation. Five to fifteen tonne bulk samples are clearly necessary to get a better handle on gold grades, and we are now in a position to collect these having recently secured a test plant at SGS, capable of processing such large volumes of material. Purdy’s Reward bulk samples will be the first through this new plant, and results are expected shortly.”

Artemis’s Executive Director, Ed Mead, commented; “These excellent bulk sampling results, as received from Novo, clearly show very high-grade gold results. The result is from the first of the shallow trenches dug at Purdy’s Reward, near the topographic basement high point for the area, where exposure of the gold bearing units daylight. The 2018 exploration season has now started in earnest. Gold results from the basement dolerite unit grading up to 4.1 g/t are an extremely interesting development and further work is required to determine the ultimate significance of gold in the zone below the gold bearing conglomerates. With an improved understanding of the extreme nugget effect at the Purdy’s Reward, increasing the bulk sampling size and a new reliable and consistent processing path now available through SGS Minerals, a lot more bulk sampling can be achieved in a shorter timeframe.”

Read the article online at: https://www.globalminingreview.com/exploration-development/15022018/purdys-reward-yields-high-grade-gold-results/