PERTH, WESTERN AUSTRALIA--(Marketwire - April 6, 2011) - Magma Metals Limited (News - Market indicators)(ASX:MMW) ("Magma" or the "Company") is pleased to provide an update on progress for the current exploration program at the Griffins Find gold project, located 320km southeast of Perth in Western Australia.
Highlights
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Analysis and re-logging of historical drilling at the Griffins Find open pit mine, which produced approximately 55,000 ounces of gold, has identified significant potential to extend the known mineralization beneath the pit.
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A 9,000m drilling program is in progress to evaluate the Ridge and Griffins West prospects and test several targets in a 3km x 1km gold-in-soil anomaly. Initial results are encouraging and have better defined a number of the current targets.
Potential beneath the Griffins Find open-pit mine
Approximately 55,000 ounces of gold was produced in the 1980's from two shallow open-pits, Griffins Find and the much smaller Griffins Find North (Figure 1). Analysis and interpretation of historical drilling data and re-logging of drill core from Griffins Find has revealed significant potential to extend the known mineralization beneath the open-pit, which is approximately 50m deep.
Several historical drill holes intersected a thick zone of mineralization up to 70m vertically below the base of the open-pit over a strike length of approximately 200m (Figures 2 and 3). Drill intersections up to 26m @ 3.70g/t gold were recorded in these holes (Tables 1 and 2). The mineralization strikes northwest and is interpreted to dip steeply east beneath the pit and then roll-over to dip steeply west at depth, due to the influence of a large fold structure (Figure 3).
Diamond drilling is in progress to test potential extensions of this mineralized zone at depths of up to 150m vertically below the surface.
Current Drilling Program
A reverse circulation (RC) and diamond drilling program is in progress to evaluate the potential of the Ridge and Griffins West prospects and to test parts of a large 3km x 1km gold-in-soil anomaly previously defined by auger drilling (Figure 1). A total of 47 RC holes for 5,643m and 11 diamond holes for 1,675m have been completed so far. Drilling is in progress to complete a further nine diamond drill holes for approximately 1,730m (including the holes discussed above beneath the Griffins Find open-pit). Assay results for much of this drilling are pending.
The diamond drilling, in particular, has been critical in determining the trends of mineralized zones and styles of mineralization at the Ridge and Griffins West prospects.
To view Figure 1, please visit the following link: http://media3.marketwire.com/docs/mmw406fig1.pdf
To view Figure 2, please visit the following link: http://media3.marketwire.com/docs/mmw406fig2.pdf
To view Figure 3, please visit the following link: http://media3.marketwire.com/docs/mmw406fig3.pdf
Ridge Prospect
The Ridge prospect, located 2km southeast of the Griffins Find open-pit, consists of a 200-400m wide zone of gold and arsenic mineralization and anomalism, which appears to trend east-northeast for at least 500m (Figures 1 and 4). The zone is open to the east and west. A shallow east-dipping granite sheet precludes the shallow expression of mineralization to the east, but the mineralization could continue in this direction both below and above the granite sheet.
Magma's drilling within the central part of the prospect on east-west oriented sections has defined a zone of gold mineralization associated with arsenic anomalism, which appears to trend east-northeast over a strike length of at least 300m. A surface arsenic anomaly mapped with a hand held Niton XRF analyser supports this interpretation and defines the broad trend of the gold mineralization (Figure 4). The gold zone is open along strike and at depth and includes drill intersections of 20m @ 2.86g/t gold and 15m @ 2.05g/t gold from Magma's 2010 drilling, and intersections from the current drilling program to date include 4m @ 3.18g/t gold and 2m @ 4.76g/t gold (Tables 3 and 4).
Analysis of historical drilling and Magma's recent drilling indicates the potential for a system of sub-parallel stacked sheets of mineralization, striking east-northeast and dipping steeply north, within the broad 200-400m wide gold-arsenic anomaly.
Three diamond drill holes are planned in the zone of gold mineralization over an 80m strike length to provide further information on the style, thickness and orientation of mineralization (Figure 4).
Griffins West Prospect
The Griffins West prospect, located 600m west-southwest of the Griffins Find open-pit, consists of a 200m-long east-west trending zone of gold mineralization, which is open along strike and at depth (Figure 1). Intersections from Magma's 2010 drilling included 11m @ 2.28g/t gold and 6m @ 2.22g/t gold, and intersections from the current drilling program to date include 4m @ 1.89g/t gold and 2m @ 9.73g/t gold (Tables 3 and 4).
Analysis of historical drilling and Magma's recent drilling indicate the Griffins West mineralization is likely to plunge at a low angle to the east. Three diamond holes are being drilled to test this interpretation. There is no drilling for 300m to the east of the prospect.
Regional Targets
As part of the current program, regional drilling tested various parts of the 3km x 1km gold-in-soil anomaly mapped by an auger geochemistry survey in 2010. Anomalous results were returned from three areas (Figure 1, Tables 3 and 4):
- A target 500m northwest of the Ridge prospect returned intercepts of 3m @ 7.65g/t gold and 2m @ 23.80g/t gold in Magma's 2010 drilling and intercepts of up to 4m @ 2.42g/t gold in the current drilling.
- Drilling west of the Griffins Find open-pit intersected widespread gold anomalism with values up to 2m @ 2.14g/t gold.
- A traverse of holes drilled in the alluvial channel in the central part of the auger geochemistry anomaly identified an anomalous gold zone associated with sulphides and alteration approximately 200m wide with values up to 1m @ 1.06g/t gold.
Further work is required to understand the potential of these areas.
To view Figure 4, please visit the following link: http://media3.marketwire.com/docs/mmw406fig4.pdf
Further announcements will be made in due course when additional results from the current drilling program are available.
Table 1. Significant historical drilling results from beneath the Griffins Find open-pit.
Hole Number |
From (m) |
To (m) |
Interval (m) |
Au (g/t) |
GFD010 |
78.0 |
104.0 |
26.0 |
3.70 |
GFD016 |
83.0 |
105.0 |
22.0 |
2.73 |
GFD017 |
102.3 |
120.4 |
18.1 |
2.82 |
and |
137.0 |
143.25 |
6.3 |
1.03 |
GFD018 |
113.9 |
132.8 |
18.9 |
1.48 |
GFD020 |
109.0 |
122.0 |
13.0 |
2.74 |
GFD023 |
79.7 |
99.0 |
19.3 |
1.09 |
and |
110.0 |
116.0 |
6.0 |
1.25 |
and |
139.5 |
143.6 |
4.1 |
2.96 |
WLGD02 |
57.2 |
68.2 |
11.0 |
2.4 |
WLGD08 |
53.0 |
59.0 |
6.0 |
3.92 |
WLGD12 |
53.6 |
56.5 |
2.9 |
2.44 |
WLGD013 |
55.0 |
71.0 |
17.0 |
3.00 |
Drill intercepts are shown at a 0.5g/t Au lower cut-off grade; these may include internal intervals of up to 3m below the cut-off grade. Note the intercepts for drill holes WLGD02, 08 and 13 are located immediately below the pit floor, which has not been surveyed and it is possible that some portion of these intercepts may have been mined.
Table 2. Griffins Find open-pit historical drill hole collar and depth information.
Hole Number |
Easting (m) |
Northing (m) |
Dip (Degrees) |
Azimuth (Degrees) |
Depth (m) |
GFD010 |
623180 |
6340302 |
-60 |
242 |
132.7 |
GFD016 |
623169 |
6340320 |
-60 |
240 |
133 |
GFD017 |
623233 |
6340288 |
-60 |
240 |
156 |
GFD018 |
623214 |
6340323 |
-60 |
240 |
139.6 |
GFD020 |
623177 |
6340348 |
-60 |
242 |
139 |
GFD023 |
623272 |
6340218 |
-60 |
242 |
157 |
WLGD02 |
623199 |
6340245 |
-55 |
243 |
136.7 |
WLGD08 |
623116 |
6340290 |
-60 |
240 |
87 |
WLGD12 |
623096 |
6340279 |
-60 |
240 |
85.6 |
WLGD13 |
623126 |
6340273 |
-59 |
240 |
87.1 |
Table 3. Significant drilling results – current Magma drilling program.
Prospect |
Hole Number |
From (m) |
To (m) |
Interval (m) |
Au (g/t) |
Cut-off (g/t Au) |
Ridge |
MGFRC063 |
86 |
90 |
4 |
1.45 |
1.0 |
Ridge |
MGFRC066 |
24 |
26 |
2 |
3.73 |
1.0 |
Ridge |
MGFRC068DT |
36 |
38 |
2 |
1.58 |
1.0 |
Ridge |
MGFRC069DT |
82 |
86 |
4 |
3.18 |
0.5 |
|
|
and |
102 |
104 |
2 |
4.76 |
1.0 |
|
|
and |
165 |
166 |
1 |
1.03 |
1.0 |
|
|
and |
200 |
205 |
5 |
1.52 |
1.0 |
|
|
and |
239 |
244 |
5 |
1.48 |
0.5 |
|
|
including |
241 |
243 |
2 |
2.76 |
1.0 |
Griffins West |
MGFRC071 |
98 |
100 |
2 |
1.75 |
1.0 |
Griffins West |
MGFRC073 |
124 |
134 |
10 |
0.67 |
0.5 |
|
|
including |
130 |
134 |
4 |
1.89 |
1.0 |
|
|
and |
146 |
148 |
2 |
9.73 |
1.0 |
Regional (1) |
MGFRC037 |
0 |
2 |
2 |
1.44 |
1.0 |
Regional (1) |
MGFRC038 |
70 |
80 |
10 |
0.62 |
0.5 |
|
|
including |
70 |
74 |
4 |
2.42 |
1.0 |
Regional (2) |
MGFRC075 |
78 |
80 |
2 |
1.09 |
1.0 |
Regional (2) |
MGFRC076 |
102 |
104 |
2 |
2.14 |
1.0 |
Regional (2) |
MGFRC079 |
48 |
50 |
2 |
1.49 |
1.0 |
Regional (3) |
MGFDD002 |
133 |
134 |
1 |
1.06 |
1.0 |
Results are reported at the lower cut-off grades shown in the right hand column; these may include internal intervals of up to 2m below the cut-off grade. Regional (1), (2) & (3) refer to the three regional targets referred to by number in the section titled "Regional Targets" above.
Table 4. Drill hole collar and depth information
Hole Number |
Easting (m) |
Northing (m) |
Azimuth (Degrees) |
Dip (Degrees) |
Depth (m) |
MGFRC037 |
624260 |
6339050 |
270 |
-60 |
130 |
MGFRC038 |
624320 |
6339050 |
270 |
-60 |
126 |
MGFRC063 |
624650 |
6338575 |
270 |
-60 |
214 |
MGFRC066 |
624550 |
6338680 |
270 |
-60 |
200 |
MGFRC068DT |
624750 |
6338680 |
270 |
-60 |
203.6 |
MGFRC069DT |
624850 |
6338680 |
270 |
-60 |
251.9 |
MGFRC071 |
622480 |
6339970 |
180 |
-60 |
180 |
MGFRC073 |
622560 |
6339970 |
180 |
-58 |
190 |
MGFRC075 |
622655 |
6340367 |
240 |
-60 |
100 |
MGFRC076 |
622700 |
6340394 |
240 |
-60 |
120 |
MGFRC079 |
622860 |
6339986 |
240 |
-60 |
150 |
MGFDD002 |
623860 |
6339650 |
240 |
-60 |
162 |
Technical Information
Additional information on Magma and its projects, including descriptions of its quality control and assurance procedures, is available on its website at www.magmametals.com.au and in technical reports filed under the Company's profile on the SEDAR website at www.sedar.com.
Drill-hole location and detailed assay data for all drill-holes mentioned in this report but not provided herein have been provided in previous announcements. These are available on the Company's website at www.magmametals.com.au. It should be noted that drill intercepts referred to in this report are down-hole thicknesses and may not represent true thicknesses.
Sample preparation and assays for samples were conducted at the ALS Laboratory Group facility in Perth, Western Australia.
Competent & Qualified Persons Statement
The information in this report that relates to Exploration Results or Mineral Resources is based on information compiled, reviewed or prepared by Dr Keith Watkins and/or Mr Ralph Porter, the Executive Chairman and Executive Director – Exploration, Australia of Magma Metals Limited, respectively. Dr Watkins is a Fellow of the Australian Institute of Geoscientists. Both Dr Watkins and Mr Porter are Members of the Australasian Institute of Mining and Metallurgy, and each is a "qualified person" as such term is defined in National Instrument 43-101 – Standards of Disclosure for Mineral Projects. Both Dr Watkins and Mr Porter have sufficient experience, which is relevant to the style of mineralization and type of deposit under consideration and to the activities undertaken to qualify as Competent Persons as defined in the 2004 Edition of the "Australasian Code for Reporting of Exploration Results, Mineral Resources and Ore Reserves" (the JORC Code). Dr Watkins and Mr Porter consent to the inclusion in the report of the matters based on this information in the form and context in which they appear.
Cautionary Statement
Certain information contained in this report constitutes "forward-looking information" under Canadian securities legislation. Generally, forward-looking information can be identified by the use of forward-looking terminology such as "plans", "expects" , "is expected", "estimates", "intends", or variations of such words and phrases or statements that certain actions, events or results "may", "could", "would", "might" or "will be taken", "occur" or "be achieved". Although management believes that the expectations expressed in such forward-looking information disclosed herein are based on reasonable assumptions, these statements are not guarantees of future performance. A number of factors could cause actual results, performance or achievements to differ materially from those in the forward-looking information. Such factors include future metal prices, exploration and evaluation results, future availability of capital and general economic, market or business conditions, government regulation of mining operations, failure of equipment or processes to operate as anticipated, risks inherent in mineral exploration and development including unusual or unexpected geological formations. Descriptions of these risks can be found in the Company's various statutory reports, including its Annual Information Form available on its website at www.magmametals.com.au and on the SEDAR website at www.sedar.com.
ABN 72 114 581 047