Zenith Minerals has wrapped up the latest drill campaign at its Consolidated Dulcie gold project in Western Australia, with the final batch of assays confirming widespread gold mineralisation in a key area outside the existing inventory.
asserted
batch → wrap → inventory
The drilling at Dulcie Central was designed to test a 600-metre gap between the company’s existing Dulcie North and Dulcie deposits.
asserted
drilling → design → deposits
This central corridor is not included in Zenith’s current inferred mineral resource for the Consolidated Dulcie project of 21.3 million tonnes (Mt) at 1.0g/t for 675,000 ounces of gold.
asserted
corridor → include → gold
The company has received the last 10 results from the 34-hole, 4601-metre reverse circulation (RC) program, with 20 of the 24 holes drilled into Dulcie Central intersecting gold mineralisation.
asserted
20 → receive → mineralisation
Highlights include a five-metre hit grading 1.59 grams per tonne (g/t) gold from 41m, which held a higher-grade three-metre slice going 2.26g/t gold.
asserted
which → include → gold
Other notable results included seven metres assaying 0.82g/t gold from 83m, featuring a three-metre section running 1.39g/t gold and a seven-metre intercept grading 0.80g/t gold from just 29m downhole.
asserted
results → include → gold
‘Our focus now turns to assessing the potential for a maiden mineral resource at Dulcie Central.
asserted
focus → turn → Central
With the latest results in hand, Zenith says the drilling has provided further evidence of widespread gold mineralisation across Dulcie Central.
asserted
drilling → say → Central
The company will now get to work assessing whether the results are strong enough to support a maiden mineral resource estimate at the prospect.
asserted
results → get → prospect
While Zenith’s current program is focused on growing the resource, historical hits at the broader project have delivered some stunners, including 32m grading a hefty 9.4g/t gold and 3m at an eye-watering 70g/t gold, highlighting the system’s high-grade pedigree.
asserted
hits → focus → pedigree
The project sits within the revered Southern Cross–Forrestania gold belt and benefits from granted mining leases and proximity to regional processing infrastructure at Marvel Loch and Edna May, placing it in prime real estate.
uncertain
project → sit → estate
Zenith Minerals managing director Andrew Smith said: “These results complete our first drilling programme at Dulcie Central, where 20 of 24 holes intersected gold in an area not included in our existing 675,000 oz Mineral Resource.”
asserted
holes → say → Resource
The company is now preparing applications for a substantial 850-hole infill RC drilling program.
asserted
company → prepare → program
The plan is to tighten drill spacing from a nominal 80m to a much closer 40m by 40m pattern targeting the mineralised strike extent of the Dulcie Far North, Dulcie North, Dulcie Central, Scott’s Grey and Dulcie prospects.
asserted
plan → tighten → prospects
Infill drilling is a classic de-risking step designed to improve geological confidence and provide a basis for potentially upgrading resources from the lower-confidence inferred category to the indicated category.
asserted
drilling → risk → category
The campaign remains subject to final drill program design, regulatory and heritage approvals, contractor availability, funding and operational planning.
asserted
campaign → remain → design
Additionally, Zenith is planning supplementary diamond drilling at the Consolidated Dulcie to get a better handle on the geology and structural controls of the mineralisation, while collecting valuable core samples for metallurgical testing and future development studies.
asserted
Zenith → plan → testing
The drilling success comes against the backdrop of Forrestania Resources’ one-for-4.3-cents scrip bid for Zenith, which has been declared unconditional after Forrestania secured a controlling 61.42 per cent stake.
asserted
Forrestania → come → stake
Forrestania is looking to fold Zenith’s gold assets into its broader WA hub-and-spoke strategy, centred on its Edna May and Lake Johnston operations, potentially providing a development pathway for the growing Dulcie gold inventory.
uncertain
Forrestania → look → inventory
While Dulcie is its flagship, the company has several other cards in its hand.
asserted
company → have → hand
Zenith also holds the Red Mountain gold project in Queensland, a 25 per cent free-carried interest in the major Earaheedy zinc project in WA, an indirect 26 per cent stake in the Cowarra gold project in NSW and a foothold on the Split Rocks lithium project, home to a 11.9-million-tonne inferred resource grading 0.72 per cent lithium oxide.
asserted
Zenith → hold → oxide
Zenith appears to be methodically piecing together a much larger prize at Dulcie.
asserted
Zenith → appear → Dulcie
Proving up ounces in the gap between its existing deposits is a logical step, but with a history of high-grade hits and a massive infill program on the drawing board, the company isn’t just connecting the dots; it’s building a case to potentially push the project well beyond its current 675,000-ounce gold inventory.
Is your ASX-listed company doing something interesting?
asserted
company → prove → something