Brightstar Resources Limited (ASX: BTR) (Brightstar) is pleased to announce results from the surface and underground drilling programs conducted at the Second Fortune Gold Mine, located south of Laverton, WA.
HIGHLIGHTS
First diamond drilling assays returned from the Second Fortune underground mine by Brightstar delivers high grades within and beneath the current forward mine planThe deepest hole drilled to date at Second Fortune, SFRCD2408, returned +31g/t Au from a 0.3m downhole intercept at 465.75m depth, proving that the high grade Second Fortune mineralisation continues at depths +400m below surfaceDrilling assays highlight the high-grade and narrow-vein nature of the Second Fortune orebody, which has shown strong geological consistency over recent years of operational history, including:
Surface holes:
SFRCD2404A:0.57m @ 21.3g/t from 426.55m (12 gram-metres, gm)SFRCD24051.53m @ 7.7g/t from 408.07m, including (12gm)0.41m @ 17.0g/t Au from 408.89mSFRCD2408:0.3m @ 31.7g/t from 465.75m (10gm)SFRCD2407:0.68m @ 11.68g/t from 394.69m (8gm)
Underground holes:
SFUDD0087:0.6m @ 14.7g/t from 87.2m (9gm)SFUDD00882.76m @ 7.37g/t from 96.15m, including (20gm)0.33m @ 52.37g/t Au from 96.15mSFUDD00890.42m @ 24.84g/t from 63.27m (10gm)0.34m @ 27.84g/t from 106.08m (10gm)0.51m @ 11.7g/t from 109.91m (6gm)SFUDD00913.06m @ 4.18g/t from 73.18m, including (12gm)0.46m @ 11.22g/t Au from 73.18mSFUDD00930.49m @ 19.22g/t Au from 103.6m (10gm)Drilling intercepts are ~100m below currently developed levels on the 1065 level and provide significant confidence in mine life extension at Second Fortune. Drilling targeted mining areas within and below the current 12 month mine plan in order to improve the classification of the Mineral Resource Estimate, provide confidence on future mine life extension and enhance mine planning and scheduling activitiesFollowing the success of this program, Brightstar has commenced further underground drilling to further improve geological knowledge and confidence of CY25 production
Brightstar’s Managing Director, Alex Rovira, commented“The desired outcome of our combined surface and underground drilling program was to infill certain areas to increase confidence in the resource model, whilst also taking the opportunity to drill deeper holes outside and below the current mine plan.
We are delighted with the results which successfully proved that the high-grade Second Fortune vein system continues at depths well below the current mine plan. This result provides a compelling target for Brightstar to explore further in order to extend the mine life at Second Fortune. Accordingly, we have expedited plans to complete further underground drilling to commence imminently, which will inform an upgraded Mineral Resource Estimate this CY24 with the intent of potentially supporting the declaration of Ore Reserves and formal production outlook.
We look forward to sharing ongoing results as they are received, with assays still pending from various programs across the Brightstar portfolio including previously announced RC and Diamond drill programs”.
TECHNICAL DISCUSSION
The Second Fortune deposit lies at the southern end of the Laverton Tectonic Zone which lies on the eastern margin of the Norseman-Wiluna Belt. Gold mineralisation occurs within a north-to-northwest striking sequence of intermediate to felsic volcaniclastic rocks and subordinate sediments, intruded by irregular, narrow, tabular bodies of albite porphyry.
Gold mineralisation is associated with an arcuate narrow quartz vein system (0.2m to 2m width) that has a strike of over 600 metres and dips steeply to the west. Within the vein there is locally abundant pyrite with wall rock alteration characterised by a thin selvedge of sericitic and chlorite alteration providing a strong mineralisation vector.
The Second Fortune vein system consists of the Main Lode and a number of subsidiary lodes, the Hanging wall and Footwall lodes which are located within ~10m of the Main lode, and the Caturra lode to the West.
Linden Gold Alliance Limited (Linden) acquired the Second Fortune Gold Project in 2020 and moved quickly to bring the project back into production, achieving its first gold pour within seven months in April 2021. In 2023, Linden produced in excess of 13,000oz gold, with ore processing through Genesis Minerals Limited’s Gwalia processing facility, and subsequently merged with Brightstar in 2024.
The purpose of the combined surface and underground drill programs were to infill and confirm the resource within the planned underground mine design, and to target extensions at depth to assess potential for lode continuity.
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