Drilling results at Havieron highlight potential new Eastern Breccia Target

At Havieron, exploration activities have focused on an infill drilling programme to support the estimation of an initial inferred mineral resource from the South East Crescent and adjacent breccia, expected in the December 2020 quarter, together with step out drilling to define the extents and growth potential of the Havieron mineralised system. Drilling since May 2019 has outlined an ovoid shaped zone of variable brecciation, alteration and sulfide mineralisation with dimensions of 650 m x 350 m trending in a north west orientation. Breccia mineralisation was initially identified internal to the Crescent sulfide zone but most recently has also been recognised external to the Crescent sulfide zone on the east, north-west and south-east.

At this stage, exploration has identified four key target regions, which are:

• South East Crescent and Breccia.
• North West Crescent.
• Northern Breccia.
• Eastern Breccia.

Highlights

• Best intercept to date: latest drilling results have returned the best intercept to date at Havieron from infill drilling (HAD065W2, South East Crescent Zone):
  • 120.7 m at 9.3 g/t gold (Au) and 0.18% copper (Cu) from 1349.3 m, including 26.6 m at 34 g/t Au and 0.23% Cu from 1384.4 m.
• New Eastern Breccia Zone: a potential new fourth target area, the ‘Eastern Breccia’, has been identified by growth drilling from two drill holes, including 342.2 m at 2 g/t Au, 0.11% Cu from 1536.8 m (HAD084). Encouragingly, the new Eastern Breccia highlights the potential for a new region of breccia development not previously recognised and extends mineralisation externally to the ovoid-shaped Crescent sulfide zone.
• Initial mineral resource on track: further excellent results from infill drilling support the estimation of an initial inferred mineral resource for Havieron in the December quarter from the South East Crescent and adjacent breccia mineralisation.

Next steps

• Exploration programmes at Havieron continue, with both infill drilling to deliver an initial inferred mineral resource and step out drilling to define the extent of the mineralised system.
• Latest drill results provide additional support to the ongoing investigation of both high-grade selective and bulk mining methods.
• Environmental and baseline studies progressing to support potential commencement of decline at Havieron by end of calendar year 2020 or early 2021, subject to market and operating conditions and receipt of all necessary permits, consents and approvals.
• Continuing to investigate potential to achieve commercial production within 2 – 3 years from commencement of decline.

Gervaise Heddle, CEO of Greatland Gold plc, commented: "We are delighted by the latest set of excellent drilling results at Havieron, including the best intercept at the project to date, which further reinforce the potential for a bulk tonnage mining operation at Havieron. Exploration at Havieron has now identified four key target regions, including the new Eastern Breccia, which was identified by two of the step-out drill holes reported today. Importantly, the footprint of Havieron continues to expand and breccia mineralisation has now been identified outside of the ovoid-shaped Crescent sulfide zone to the east, north-west and south-east.

"As Newcrest's growth drilling programme further expands the footprint of the mineralised system at Havieron, infill drilling has continued in order to support the estimation of an initial inferred mineral resource from the South East Crescent and adjacent breccia mineralisation. We look forward to the delivery of the initial inferred mineral resource from this zone before the end of the year as further drilling continues to define the full extent of the Havieron system."

Read the article online at: https://www.globalminingreview.com/exploration-development/29102020/drilling-results-at-havieron-highlight-potential-new-eastern-breccia-target/