First pass drilling isn’t usually successful, it’s a proof of...

First pass drilling isn’t usually successful, it’s a proof of concept drill that validates part or all of a model. We have sulphide veining, we have hematite breccia which points to the potential of the project. Follow up drilling would target areas where the sulphides are more intensified (areas where cavities in rocks have increased closer to faulting).

The hard part is understanding the difference between the geophysics responses, looking at the cores and reinterpretation of where to next target. The alteration style creates a lot of density where identifying sulphides is next to impossible.

The overlap of gravity and magnetic anomalies tend to yield the best results, because it tells the geo that there is likely alteration and the rock type is likely to contain sulphides. Whether it contains the right sulphides or enough to be economic is the issue. Downhole EM doesn’t work to well due to the iron alteration. So they look at various trace elements such as various REE and interpreting where fault zones occur. As these deposits are buried the above rocks can distort geophysics, some miners have resorted to seismic to better interpret each layer and determine the topography of the granites. Tying in various forms of geophysics can be good at refining the interpretation and making each subsequent campaign a good way at improving the model.

In the end a company needs to rank their targets and go boldly and drill a target. Each target will go up and down according to results.

Best of luck holders