Phase 4 resource drilling underway at Alien Metal’s Hancock Iron Ore Project

Highlights

• A reverse circulation (RC) drilling programme totalling ~2100 m aimed to fur-ther increase geological confidence in the existing JORC compliant inferred mineral resource estimate (MRE) of 10.4 million t at 60.4% iron (Fe) is underway.
• Following receipt of assays from the Phase 4 programme, Alien aims to upgrade a portion of the MRE to indicated status (covering ridges C and E), which would support upcoming mine planning.
• Initial drill testing will be undertaken across the ~3 km strike length of targets on ridges F and G, which were recently defined from surface sampling.
• Alien to undertake detailed mapping and sampling of newly identified targets at Hancock following recent site visit by CEO, Bill Brodie Good, and Competent Person, Howard Baker

Bill Brodie Good, Chief Executive Officer & Technical Director of Alien Metals, commented: “The phase 4 RC drilling programme at Hancock is now underway. This programme has two key aims – to upgrade confidence in the existing MRE, to convert a portion of the MRE to an indicated status, and to define a maiden MRE over a portion of ridges F and G.

“Following the recent site visit by our Competent Person, Howard Baker, we have further increased our confidence in this exciting project. We have delivered a robust DSO grade resource in a relatively short time frame, and we see significant scope to further grow the resource that will help to underpin a future mining operation. The permitting and baseline studies continue to progress well and the team is very excited about the way the Hancock project is shaping up.”

Alien has commenced a 70 hole 2100 m RC drill programme which will initially focus on ridges C and E before moving on to ridges F and G. The infill drilling at ridges C and E aims to convert a significant portion of the existing JORC compliant inferred resource to an indicated status. Most holes are planned between 15 – 25 m depth, focused on the DSO grade material. At ridges F and G, wide spaced exploration drilling will be carried out along the 3 km strike length of high-grade surface sampling results. The company hopes that this maiden drill programme will be sufficient to declare a maiden JORC resource over these ridges.

The surface sampling undertaken at ridges F and G earlier this year consisted of 67 samples, with 25 returning assays greater than 60% Fe (with an average of 63% Fe). This programme led to defining a further 3 km of highly prospective iron ridges.

In conjunction with the phase 4 drilling programme, the company will carry out more surface mapping and sampling on the remaining 6.5 km of strike length to test on ridges G and H, as well as moving in the central and eastern areas of the tenement to begin first pass exploration.

Read the article online at: https://www.globalminingreview.com/exploration-development/27052022/phase-4-resource-drilling-underway-at-alien-metals-hancock-iron-ore-project/