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QX Resources Limited (ASX: QXR, ‘QXR’) announces a new program of trenching to extend known high grade gold mineralisation at Big Red Project, where prior trenching including mineralised widths of 9m @ 5.9g/t Au. The trenching is an initial phase, prior to drilling, as part of a plan of reassessment around potentially reopening closed open pit gold mines and further drill targets with the aim of future gold production scenarios.
- A follow-up trenching program has been planned at the Big Red Gold Project, Queensland.
- Previous trenching at Big Red returned high grade gold results including 9m @ 5.9g/t Au, with gold mineralisation remaining open along strike.
- Interpreted strike length over Big Red currently exceeds 450m with probable further concealed extensions beneath sandy loam surficial cover.
- The Company’s Gold projects are located in the Drummond Basin in central Queensland – an under- developed region with a long history of ongoing gold mining region with an endowment of over 8.5 million ounces.
- A reassessment of two shuttered open pit gold mines within QXRs ground has commenced as these mines were last operated when the gold price was less than A$500/oz.
- QXR has numerous gold and copper-gold targets which will be developed towards further drilling leading to potential production scenarios with updated permitting guidelines.
High Grade Gold in Trenches at Big Red Project
Gold trenching is planned to extend current high grade gold results in trenches at the Disney-Big Red Project (ASX announcement 1 Nov 2021). Two elongate gold anomalous zones were defined over 650m and may extend up to 1200m long. Best historic trench results from hard rock at the base of trenches at Big Red were:
- Trench 1 - 9m @ 5.9 g/t Au within a mineralised zone 35m wide. Large zone 80m @1.2 g/t Au
- Trench 2- 3m @ 2.2 g/t Au within a mineralised zone 13m wide. Large zone 28m @ 1.8 g/t Au
- Trench 4 - 2m @ 23 g/t Au with a mineralised zone 7m wide. Large zone 32m @ 1.7 g/t Au
These results produced a drill ready target, but that drill program was delayed twice due to weather and soft ground (ASX announcement 13 July 2021, 31 April 2022). Further trenching is planned to extend the current zone of high-grade gold mineralisation prior to a drilling program over a number of shallow targets. The Company believes the potential of Big Red may be similar to nearby Twin Hills deposit with 1.0Moz (23.1Mt@1.5g/t Au) incl 49m @5.2g/tAu and Lone Sister 0.48Moz (12.5Mt@1.2g/t Au) incl. 28m @45.2g/t Au (c.f. ASX:GBZ announcement 5 Dec 2022, 28 Apr 2023, 9 Jun 2023)
Reassessment of Open Pit Gold Mines
A reassessment of the potential of past open pit gold mines is underway. The two open cut mines, Belyando and Lucky Break, were closed when gold was less than A$500/oz. Drilling data by QXR and previous explorers shows potential exists for down dip extensions to known gold mineralised zones and parallel features, as well as extensions along strike.
QXR Managing Director, Stephen Promnitz, said: “QXR has excellent potential for a gold discovery at Big Red in Queensland, which will be followed-up in the planned trenching program and followed later by a drill program, previously delayed due to inclement weather. Nearby closed open pit gold mines were operating at much lower gold prices and show potential for future production as part of a reassessment of their potential.”
Next Steps
Trenching
A new program of trenching at Big Red Project (Disney) is an initial phase to extend two north-east trending elongate zones previously encountered in QXR trenches with high grade gold results occurring over a strike length of 650 metres. The zones may potentially be up to 1200m long based on past soil sampling and geophysics (magnetic low zones within magnetic highs). Mineralised widths included 9m @ 5.9 g/t Au in trenches (ASX announcement 1 Nov 2021, 16 Feb 2022). Quartz breccias show textures similar to gold producing zones elsewhere in the region.
Figure 1: Big Red (Red Dog) Project –Past trenches; quartz breccias; area of past trenches (yellow rectangle) and planned extensions (orange rectangle)
Drill targets
Revised drill targets will be generated from the trenching results, merged with geophysical data. These results produced a drill ready target, but that drill program was delayed twice due to weather and soft ground (ASX announcement 13 July 2021, 31 April 2022).
Resource models
Updated resource modelling for Belyando and Lucky Break have been commissioned. Both mines show potential exists for down dip extensions to known gold mineralised zones and parallel features, as well as extensions along strike.
Background
QXR holds nearly 100,000 hectares of leases in the Drummond Basin of central Queensland – an under- developed region with a long history of ongoing gold mining region with an endowment of over 8.5 million ounces (1). Gold mineralisation is largely related to intrusives into the region with the largest producer – Pajingo (ex-Newmont) having produced 3.4 Moz since 1986 and was instrumental in the creation of gold miner Evolution when they purchased the mine from Newmont (Newcrest).
The QXR leases show potential for epithermal gold and porphyry related copper gold deposits and include two historical open pit gold mines, Belyando and Lucky Break, that were last producing when the gold price was under A$500/oz. QXR holds 85,800 Ha of exploration leases on a 100% basis and 11,500 Ha (70%QXR) in a JV with private company, Zamia Resources.
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