Tests of A2 anomaly at Orient West prospect significantly has significantly expanded mineralisation potential
Orient project has backing from the QLD government’s critical minerals initiative
Drilling expected to commence this month
Special Report: Iltani Resources has discovered silver-lead-zinc-indium mineralisation 650m southwest of known grades at the Orient West prospect, significantly expanding the Orient project’s potential ahead of a planned resource estimate.
Iltani’s Orient Project, in the historical mining area of Herberton in northern Queensland, was mined from 1886 to 1924, producing an estimated 6,600 tonnes of high-grade ore averaging 46oz of silver and 40% lead per tonne.
But there’s plenty left in the ground. This is a large-scale system of outcropping silver-lead-zinc-indium mineralisation, likely hosted in a deeper porphyry complex.
ILT started drilling the Orient West and East targets in August 2023, the first time a hole had been punched in since the early 1980s. This program delivered multiple hits of silver-lead-zinc-indium-tin mineralisation, “confirming potential of Orient system to host a world class discovery”, the company says.
A new drill program kicked off in May which, alongside a booming silver price, sparked a rerate in the company’s shares.
Immediate success
Assay results from an new RC drillhole which tested the high priority A2 geophysical anomaly 650m southwest of Orient West has struck significant silver-lead-zinc-indium mineralisation, expanding the projects potential for development.
RC drilling of hole ORR025 intersected multiple silver-lead-zinc-indium veins, returning:
2m @ 145.3g/t silver from 163m downhole
2m @ 143.1g/t silver from 219m downhole
1m @ 64.2g/t silver from 186m downhole
Drilling of hole ORR025 was designed to test the A2 geophysical anomaly, a strong chargeable moderate conductor overlapping a magnetic body with low susceptibility, ~650m southwest of the Orient West vein system.
The hole intersected multiple silver-lead-zinc-indium veins, confirming the greater Orient system mineralisation extends at least 650m southwest of Orient West.
The Orient project’s drilling locations across high-value prospects. Pic supplied: (ILT)
ILT CEO Donald Garner says hole ORR025 has delivered a great result by intersecting silver-lead-zinc-indium under cover ~650m southwest of the known outcropping mineralisation at Orient West.
“This demonstrates firstly that the Orient system has the potential to be much larger than we first thought; and secondly, that geophysical exploration, in particular the combination of induced polarisation (IP) and magnetics, can help us target mineralisation under cover,” Garner says.
“A recent geophysical target review generated multiple targets, including the A2 anomaly, now successfully tested with ORR025 and we will seek to drill test the remaining targets generated by the geophysical review.
“We have just completed RC drilling at Orient West, with 11 drillholes completed and assay results are expected soon from the remaining 10 and preparing to drill the Orient deep diamond hole, targeting a deeper magnetic anomaly which could be representative of the mineralisation source under Orient West.
“Drilling is expected to commence this month.”
What’s next?
The latest round of RC drilling at Orient West is now wrapped up samples have been dispatched to the assay lab, with results pending from drill holes ORR026 to ORR035.
Site earthworks for the proposed diamond hole have been completed, and the diamond drill rig is expected on site shortly, allowing ILT to commence drilling the Orient West deep diamond hole.
It’s targeting the down dip extension of the Orient West vein package plus a deeper magnetic anomaly which could be representative of the mineralisation source.
This article was developed in collaboration with Iltani Resources, a Stockhead advertiser at the time of publishing.
This article does not constitute financial product advice. You should consider obtaining independent advice before making any financial decisions.
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