Alien Metals (UFO ) has kick-started a Phase 4 Reverse Circulation (RC) drilling programme at the Hancock Iron Ore Project, part of the Hamersley Iron Ore Project in Western Australia.
The RC drilling programme totalling around 2,100 metres will aim to further increase the geological confidence in the existing JORC compliant Inferred Mineral Resource Estimate (MRE) at the project of 10.4Mt @ 60.4% of iron (Fe), as first reported in September 2021.
The minerals exploration and development company said it will aim to upgrade a portion of the MRE to indicated status - covering ridges C and E of the project - which would support upcoming mine planning, following the receipt of assays from the Phase 4 RC programme.
Initial drill testing will be undertaken across the around 3km strike length of targets on ridges F and G, which were recently defined from surface sampling from the Phase 3 RC programme.
The surface sampling undertaken at ridges F and G earlier this year consisted of 67 samples, with 25 returning assays greater than 60% of iron (Fe), with an average of 63% Fe). As a result, the Phase 3 programme led to defining a further 3km of highly prospective iron ridges.
Bill Brodie Good highlighted to investors this morning: “This programme has two key aims - to upgrade confidence in the existing Mineral Resource Estimate to convert a portion of the MRE to an indicated status, and to define a maiden MRE over a portion of ridges F and G.”
Following a recent site visit by CEO, Bill Brodie Good and Competent Person, Howard Baker, Alien will undertake detailed mapping and sampling of newly identified targets for the project.
He said: “Following the recent site visit by our CP, Howard Baker, we have further increased our confidence in this exciting project. We have delivered a robust DSO grade resource in a relatively short time frame, and we see significant scope to further grow the resource that will help to underpin a future mining operation. The permitting and baseline studies continue to progress well and the team is very excited about the way the Hancock project is shaping up”.
In regard to the Brockman tenement, the company said the Programme of Work (POW) for a maiden drilling programme has recently been approved at the site. The Alien technical team is now finalising the drill planning ahead of the maiden drilling programme at Brockman in 3Q.
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Today’s news follows Alien’s recent identification of further high-grade ridge targets at the Hancock Iron Ore Project. Bill Brodie Good, CEO and Technical Director, told investors that ongoing exploration across the Hancock Project continues to deliver “outstanding results.”
The Group said it was “very pleased” with the continued positive exploration work and that it will continue to develop all these targets and new untested ground “in the coming months.”
Meanwhile, after a Covid-induced delay of two years, Alien told investors at the end of March 2022 that it had finally commenced the next round of exploration on its three Mexican assets.
After fostering a relationship with the local Mexican community during the pandemic, Alien was able to push ahead with what it considers to be a significant next stage of exploration.
The company believes this next stage is crucial for the further development of these projects, as maintaining the social licence to operate is vital to Alien’s approach to mineral exploration.
Alien also took the decision in February to combine the three programmes into a single, larger programme, to enable it to reduce overall costs and complete the programme more quickly.
It also expects the strong market dynamics for silver and copper, coupled with the projects’ geological potential, to provide shareholders with “very strong leverage” to any success.
Alien Metals’ update earlier this month is based on its internal assessment of observations while it awaits formal drilling results at its Mexican-based silver and copper-gold projects.
Initial drilling at the San Celso and Donovan 2 intersect has shown “encouraging zones of alteration” with drilling returning some particularly strong disseminated sulphide intersections at Donovan 2 which may indicate the potential presence of a VMS type mineralised system.
Results from the company’s initial drilling are expected to help define the follow-up drilling options at both projects whilst continuing with the planned Los Campos drilling campaign.
Meanwhile, RC drilling is also being considered by Alien as an alternative to core drilling.
Drilling at San Celso is targeting the mineralised vein systems previously exploited for their high-grade silver where head-grades in excess of 1,000 g/t silver were historically reported.
Drilling at Donovan 2 will target a potentially significant copper zone that has been associated with a previously reported sample of 3.34% Cu taken in the Los Alamos water well.
As Alien Metals continues trenching and sampling activities at priority zones at San Celso, Donovan 2 and Los Campos, investors can expect the assay results to arrive in due course.
Most recently, Alien reported its final assay results from the inaugural drilling programme at its Elizabeth Hill Silver
Project which confirmed the “exceptionally high-grade tenor of the silver mineralisation, with additional excellent intersections within the historic orebody,” it reported.
Following these encouraging results, a plan for follow-up drilling is now underway to further test the potential repeat mineralisation and the larger envelope present at the project site.
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