Thor Mining provides Ragged Range sampling update

Project highlights

• Three programmes of reconnaissance mapping with rock chip and stream sediment sampling completed over the Ragged Range Project.
• Rock chip sampling over the 13 km-long Sterling Prospect returned up to 6 g/t gold (Au) in rock chip (R00053) along newly identified cross structures that strike oblique to the regional faulted contact – Norman Cairn Fault – between the Dalton Suite and Euro Basalts.
• At the Kelly's Prospect, anomalous gold (up to 1.46 g/t) and copper (4.8% Cu) have been identified along the northwest trending, 1.2 km long x 25 m wide ridge at the contact of Euro Basalt and Boobina Porphyry.
• Heritage Survey with the Nyamal Native Title group was completed over the Kelly's Prospect in preparation for drill testing.
• Geological mapping and sampling will continue over the project as the company validates its structural and mineralising geological models.
• All samples from the recently completed RC drilling programme have now been received by the laboratory, and the company awaits assay results.

Nicole Galloway Warland, Managing Director of Thor Mining, commented: “These latest highly encouraging sampling results, including high-grade copper and gold, from three consecutive programmes at Ragged Range continue to build on and develop our geological understanding, with particular emphasis on structural controls on mineralisation at both the Sterling gold prospect and Kelly's copper-gold prospect.

“Sampling is to continue with an airborne magnetics survey over the Kelly's copper-gold prospect and the north-eastern portion of the tenure scheduled for late July, to assist with lithological and structural interpretations.”

Sampling programmes

In parallel with the recently completed RC drilling at the Sterling and Krona Prospects, three rock chip and stream sediment sampling programmes across the Ragged Range Project area have been undertaken.

The geological mapping and sampling programmes were designed to:

• Further develop and validate Thor's geological model by identifying key mineralising structures and gold distribution at the Sterling prospect.
• Sample historic copper working at Kelly's Prospect to gain a greater understanding of the controlling structures, the tenor of gold mineralisation associated with the visible copper and/or geochemical lithological boundaries.
• Review lithological boundaries and potential alteration signatures using newly-acquired ASTER data.
• Identify potential outcropping lithium-caesium-tantalum (LCT) enriched pegmatites.

97 rock chip samples and 24 stream samples were collected in total (of which 57 rock chips and 12 stream sample results have been received back from the laboratory to date), highlighting significant gold and copper mineralisation and assisting with the structural interpretation of key controlling structures at Sterling and Kelly's Prospects.

No outcropping LCT-enriched pegmatites have been identified to date, however, lithium exploration will continue with stream and soil sampling within the 10 km goldilocks zone around the prospective Mondana Monzogranite, part of the Split Rock Supersuite. Encouraging anomalous pathfinders in some samples warrant further investigation.

Sterling Prospect

The focus to date at Sterling Prospect has been on the 13 km gold corridor defined by stream and soil samples along the north-northwest thrust faulted contact between the Dalton Suite ultramafics and the Euro Basalt (Norman Cairn Fault). After a detailed geological and structural review of the complex folding and faulting within the ultramafics and basalts by consultant geologist Jennifer Gunter, Virga Consulting Pty Ltd, several priority areas and potential dilutional zones have been highlighted, warranting ground truthing, sampling, and follow up drill testing. Close to one of these new structural target areas (called R27), a coarse stream sediment sample (ST0002) reported 0.98 g/t Au with one grain of gold noted in the pan. This target and others were tested as part of the recently completed RC drilling programme.

The 6 g/t Au sample (R00053) lies within the ‘Kink zone’: in Central Sterling, an area of complex faulting and significant dilation. This gold sample was collected within an outcropping quartz breccia vein associated with an oblique fault system to the regional Norman Cairn Fault.

Kelly's Prospect

The Kelly's Prospect consists of a few small, high-grade historic copper workings; these appear to be associated with shear zones cross cutting the northwest trending Boobina Porphyry/Euro Basalt boundary.

At Kelly's Mine, historic production between 1955 – 1970, although small, was of very high grade – 610 t of ore averaging 19.47% Cu.

Exploration to date has been sporadic, with no systematic approach over the area. Thor's sampling programme to date has targeted areas along strike of known mineralisation, zones of alteration, shears/faults and zones of brecciation, including sampling along the northwest trending, 1.2 km long x 25 m wide ridge between Euro Basalt and Boobina Porphyry. Both anomalous gold (up to 1.46 g/t) and copper (up to 4.28% Cu) have been identified.

A Heritage Survey with the Nyamal Native Title Claimant Group was completed over the Kelly's Prospect in early July in preparation for drill testing.

Next steps

• Await RC drilling assay results – anticipated in August – September.
• Downhole Electromagnetic Survey (DHEM) on Krona drillhole.
• Airborne magnetic survey over the north-eastern portion of tenure, scheduled for late July.
• Continue to review and model historic data over the Kelly's area in preparation for drill testing.
• Await the full set of rock chip sample data, especially covering the Kelly's South ridge where 1.46 g/t Au was reported.
• Continue reconnaissance sampling over ground in the northern portion of tenure for prospective lithium-caesium-tantalum enriched (LCT) pegmatites.

Read the article online at: https://www.globalminingreview.com/exploration-development/25072022/thor-mining-provides-ragged-range-sampling-update/