Alien Metals (UFO) has identified extensions to existing inferred resources in the recently completed reverse circulation ("RC") drilling programme at the Hancock Iron Ore project.

The minerals exploration and development firm is currently undergoing a Phase 3 drilling programme at the project which forms part of its Hamersley Iron Ore Project in Australia. 

Today, Alien said 46 RC holes for 1,146m were completed prior to the end of 2021, targeting extensions to known deposits and infill drilling on existing resources of 10.4Mt @ 60.4% Fe.

As part of the ongoing development studies, the Company also collected a bulk sample of about 1,000 Kg of high-grade material for initial metallurgical test work, it told investors.

As previously announced, the RC drilling that was completed at the end of 2021 comprised a total of 46 holes for 1,146m, with just over half of the drilling taking place on Ridges C and E. 

The previously designed diamond drill programme commenced on Monday. The Company explained that the 7 hole, 650m programme is designed to further increase the confidence in the JORC 2021 Inferred Mineral Resource Estimate, as well as to provide additional material for early metallurgical and commutation testing as part of ongoing mining studies. 

Meanwhile, the Company has also delineated new drilling targets from laboratory XRF results of 60 rock chip samples collected during the recent field reconnaissance programme, it noted.

In regard to its Brockman tenement, Alien told investors that it has successfully completed the Heritage and Ethnological Surveys that will enable exploratory fieldwork to commence shortly. 

Bill Brodie Good, CEO & Technical Director of Alien Metals, commented: "Progress on the Company's Iron Ore Company of Australia (' IOCA') project continues to advance rapidly.

The completion of the RC programme, bulk sample and new rock chip sampling before the start of the wet season was a terrific effort by the team and a great outcome for investors. 

Due to continued availability pressures from the ongoing Covid-19 restrictions within the state of WA, the diamond core drill rig was delayed, but we are pleased that it has now started.”

He added that the identification of additional untested mineralised ridges is “very exciting” and that Alien will drill test these over the coming months and identify “even more to develop.”

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