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Miramar Resources Limited (ASX:M2R, “Miramar” or “the Company”) advises it has identified potential for lithium-bearing pegmatites at the Company’s 100%-owned Randalls Project (“Randalls” or “the Project”), located approximately 70km east of Kalgoorlie in the Eastern Goldfields of WA.
- Comparable geological setting to the Bald Hill and New Dawn Lithium Projects
- No previous exploration for lithium within Randall Project tenements
- New applications consolidate land position over prospective geology
The Randalls Project is located on the northeastern margin of the “Randall Dome”, a folded sequence of black shales, banded iron formation (BIF) and other sediments of the Mt Belches Formation, underlain by a central granitoid core (Figure 1).
According to the Geological Survey of WA, the Randall Dome was formed by the combination of granite emplacement and east-west compression resulting in a doubly-plunging anticline with a NNW-SSE- trending central axis (Figure 2).
As such, Miramar’s tenements are diagonally opposite and in a similar stratigraphic position to several significant lithium-bearing pegmatites on the southwestern margin of the Randall Dome including:
- Bald Hill – the subject of a takeover by Mineral Resources Ltd (ASX Release 4 Sept 2023)
- New Dawn – recently purchased by Torque Metals Ltd (ASX Release, 5 Sept 2023)
- Cowan - multiple lithium-bearing pegmatite occurrences
Regional radiometric data shows significant potassium anomalism associated with these known lithium pegmatites. Similar potassium anomalism is seen within the Randalls Project tenements north of Lake Randall (Figure 3).
Pegmatites are common south of Lake Randall however a review of historical open file data reveals no evidence of exploration for lithium over the Randalls Project tenements, with previous work mostly limited to gold exploration within the folded BIF which hosts the Mt Belches gold deposits operated by Silver Lake Resources Limited.
Miramar’s Executive Chairman, Mr Allan Kelly, said that, given the strong similarities between Randalls and the Bald Hill area and the lack of previous exploration, there was significant potential for the discovery of lithium bearing pegmatites within the Company’s tenements.
“Our Randalls Project is basically a mirror image of the Bald Hill and New Dawn areas, on the other side of the Randall Dome,” Mr Kelly said.
“The regional radiometric data strongly suggests that there could be lithium bearing pegmatites hidden under thin surficial cover within our tenements but they could be easily missed even when specifically targeted,” he added.
“We are excited about the opportunity to discover lithium bearing pegmatites on our ground,” he added.
The Company will complete a soil geochemical survey over the granted tenement, E25/596, and undertake reconnaissance sampling over its existing tenement applications.
Miramar has also increased its land position over the most prospective geology by submitting applications for four new Exploration Licences.
Figure 1. Randalls Project regional geology showing lithium projects and pegmatites.
Figure 2. Interpreted geology of the Mount Belches 1:100,000 sheet (Painter and Groenewald, 2001).
For more information on Miramar Resources Limited, visit the Company’s website at www.miramarresources.com.au, follow the Company on social media (Twitter @MiramarRes and LinkedIn @Miramar Resources Ltd) or contact:
Allan Kelly | Margie Livingston |
Executive Chairman | Ignite Communications |
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This article includes content from Miramar Resources Limited, licensed for the purpose of publishing on Investing News Australia. This article does not constitute financial product advice. It is your responsibility to perform proper due diligence before acting upon any information provided here. Please refer to our full disclaimer here.
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Miramar Resources
Overview
With the explosive growth of the electric vehicle market and the global push for sustainability, demand for battery metals is skyrocketing. This has created significant upside potential for exploration, particularly where copper and nickel are concerned.
Miramar Resources (ASX:M2R) intends to leverage that potential to the fullest. Led by an experienced board with a proven track record of successful exploration, discovery, development and production, the company has acquired multiple projects with the potential to host world-class mineral deposits. These discovery opportunities lie in Western Australia's Eastern Goldfields and Gascoyne regions, including the Capricorn Orogen, a rapidly emerging yet largely underexplored mineral province.
Proterozoic orogens are well-established as hosting major mineral deposits. Capricorn is no exception. It's highly prospective for multiple commodities and deposit types.
Recognizing this opportunity, Miramar has acquired two large and highly prospective landholdings within the Capricorn Orogen: the Whaleshark copper-gold project and the Bangemall nickel-copper-PGE projects. In addition to these, Miramar maintains two gold projects in the Eastern Goldfields, one of which — Gidji JV — has the potential to become a new gold camp in the region.
Miramar's strategy is simple — to create shareholder value through the discovery of world-class mineral deposits. It's well-positioned to do exactly that, with active exploration programs, a tight share register and low enterprise value.
Company Highlights
- Australian exploration company Miramar Resources is well-positioned to take advantage of the battery metals opportunity.
- The current focus on battery metals creates significant upside opportunities for exploration, particularly on copper and nickel.
- Led by an experienced board with a track record of successful discovery, development and production, Miramar has acquired multiple projects with the potential to host world-class deposits, including:
- Large, shallow copper-gold targets at Whaleshark
- Multiple nickel-copper-PGE targets at Bangemall
- Multiple strategic Eastern Goldfields projects, including one with the potential to become a new gold camp
- Miramar is an active explorer with regular news flow, a tight share register and low enterprise value.
Key Assets
Whaleshark (Ashburton)
Located roughly 40 kilometres east of Onslow in the Ashburton region of Western Australia, Whaleshark. It was acquired by Miramar as part of its initial public offering in 2020.
Miramar secured $180,000 under the Exploration Incentive Scheme (EIS) funding program from the Western Australia Government to fund diamond drilling and project development at Whaleshark. Assay results from the diamond drilling confirmed the presence of bedrock copper sulphide mineralisation at Whaleshark and the company also identified the potential for very large magnetite iron deposits near existing infrastructure.
Project Highlights:
- Prospectivity: Whaleshark displays all the necessary characteristics for the presence of a large copper-gold deposit, including:
- Proterozoic granite with nearby iron-rich rocks
- Overlapping magnetic anomalism and gravity
- Strong anomalous “interface” geochemistry
- Sodic and potassic alteration
- High-priority Drilling: Miramar has identified multiple high-priority bedrock drill targets which comprise overlapping:
- Mobile metal iron (MMI) surface geochemical anomalism over roughly 1.2 square kilometers
- Gravity anomalism crosscut by a northwest-trending structure
- Strongly elevated copper, cobalt, gold and silver results gathered from “interface” aircore drilling
- Advantageous Geology: Whaleshark’s geology is similar to the large Ernest Henry IOCG deposit in Queensland, including the scale, suite and magnitude of elements. However, Whaleshark also displays shallower cover compared to Ernest Henry.
- Bedrock copper sulphide confirmed: Results from the completed diamond drill program confirmed the presence of bedrock copper sulphide mineralisation within the project. Multi-element assays subsequently also confirmed the presence of anomalous copper, gold, silver, molybdenum and tungsten throughout the Whaleshark granodiorite.
- Large Magnetite Iron Opportunities: The drill program, coupled with analysis and comparisons to historical data and magnetic anomalies also indicate potential for a large shallow magnetite iron deposit at Whaleshark in close proximity to significant infrastructure.
Bangemall/Mount Vernon (Gascoyne)
Miramar has several granted and pending exploration licences in its district-scale Bangemall project which are prospective for Proterozoic magmatic Ni-Cu-PGE mineralisation associated with 1070Ma Kulkatharra Dolerite sills which are the same age as the Giles Complex, host to the large Nebo and Babel Ni-Cu deposits in the West Musgraves of WA.
Both the Geological Survey of Western Australia and Geoscience Australia have identified the area as being highly prospective for numerous types of mineral deposits.
Since 2020, Miramar has built a strategic land position in the Bangemall region, focusing on areas containing key ingredients and/or regional-scale indicators for Norilsk-style Ni-Cu-PGE mineralisation:
- Kulkatharra Dolerite sills – source of Ni, Cu +/- PGE’s
- Proximity to major crustal-scale faults (+/- cross faults) - potential plumbing systems +/- traps
- Sulphidic sediments - potential sulphur source
- Regional-scale geochemical anomalism (GSWA regional geochemistry)
- Regional-scale EM anomalism (2013 Capricorn AEM Survey)
The company’s Mount Vernon project is a high priority. In early 2022, Miramar flew a detailed magnetic and electromagnetic survey over the Mount Vernon project, identifying multiple late-time anomalies potentially related to nickel-copper-PGE sulphide mineralisation. A ground EM is underway and RC drilling is planned for Mount Vernon targets.
Project Highlights:
- Mount Vernon potential: Miramar's VTEM survey at Mount Vernon confirms historic exploration at the project, which identified:
- Nickel, copper and platinum group elements soil anomalies
- Significant nickel-copper in rock chips
- Drilling intersected elevated nickel-copper-PGEs in dolerite
- 50 rock chip samples taken, with several containing course-grained pyrite in fine grained chill margin and coarser grained gabbro in the centre of the sill
- Current Work: Geophysical contractors have commenced a fixed loop electromagnetic survey to refine targets for future drill testing
- Expansion of Bangemall Project: In early 2024, Miramar announced the grant of the Trouble Bore Exploration Licence, adjacent to Mount Vernon, where historic EM surveys had identified a strong late-time EM anomaly that could be representative of buried Ni-Cu-PGE mineralisation.
Gidji JV Project (Eastern Goldfields)
Located roughly 15 kilometres north of Kalgoorlie, Gidji is a highly prospective yet underexplored gold project with potential nickel mineralisation. Miramar has been actively exploring the project since October 2020, resulting in the identification of several new targets and outlining large aircore gold anomalies at Marylebone, Blackfriars and Highway/Piccadilly, each of which could host a significant gold discovery. The Marylebone target is the highest priority target as it has the same geology, structural setting and scale as the 4-Moz Paddington gold deposit which is also located in the ‘Boorara Shear Zone’ to the north and where Miramar discovered high-grade gold in a quartz vein. At the Marylebone target alone, Miramar has outlined a large shallow gold “exploration target” of 1.4 to 3.2 million tons (Mt) @ 1.2 to 1.5 grams per ton (g/t) gold. The company believes Gidji has the potential to become a new gold camp.
Highlights:
- Multiple High-potential Gold Targets: Potential mineralisation at Marylebone ranges from 1.4 to 3.2 Mt @ 1.2 to 1.5 g/t gold. Other gold anomaly targets include Blackfriars, Highway-Piccadilly and Railway. Miramar is currently refining bedrock targets for further deep drilling.
- Potential Nickel Sulphide Mineralisation: Through re-analysis of multiple aircore holes, Miramar has produced significant platinum and palladium assays commonly associated with high nickel and copper results.
Glandore (Eastern Goldfields)
Situated 40 kilometres east of the Kalgoorlie Gold Field, Miramar's 100-percent-owned Glandore project displays the potential for significant high-grade gold mineralisation. Previous exploration of the project area identified a large aircore gold footprint along with significant gold anomalism. Diamond drilling in 2005 returned results that included 4 metres @ 44.3 g/t gold.
In 2022, Miramar completed a diamond drilling program at the high-grade “Glandore East’ target, at the edge of the salt lake, with results returning high-grade gold mineralisation and visible gold. Multiple parallel mineralised structures have been outlined beneath a very large aircore gold footprint and bedrock gold mineralisation is present over 600 metres of strike and open. A UAV magnetic survey identified multiple northeast-trending structures. More surveys are planned to further refine and assist in targeting.
Management Team
Allan Kelly - Executive Chair
Allan Kelly is a geologist and manager with over 30 years’ experience in mineral exploration, development and production throughout Australia and the Americas. Kelly graduated in 1994 with a Bachelor of Science (with honors) in applied geology from Curtin University. He has been involved in targeting early-stage exploration of gold, nickel and copper deposits in Australia, Alaska and Canada, and has previously held senior exploration positions at Western Mining Corporation and Avoca Resources.
In 2009, he founded Doray Minerals, which was listed on the ASX in early 2010. Under Kelly's management, Doray discovered the high-grade Wilber Lode gold deposit within the Andy Well Project in the Murchison Region of Western Australia, which moved from discovery to production within three and a half years. He subsequently funded, constructed and commissioned the Deflector gold-copper project within 14 months of completing the takeover of Mutiny Gold in 2014.
In 2014, Kelly was awarded the Association of Mining and Exploration Companies (AMEC) ‘Prospector Award’, along with Doray’s co-founder Heath Hellewell, for the discovery of the Wilber Lode and Andy Well gold deposits. He is a fellow and former councilor of the Association of Applied Geochemistry (AAG), a member of the Australian Institute of Geoscientists (AIG), and a member of the Institute of Brewing and Distilling (IBD).
Marion Bush - Technical Director
Marion Bush is a geologist with over 25 years’ experience in senior management, directorship, commercial management, analyst and marketing roles within the UK, Australia, Africa and South America. She was the former CEO of TSX-V listed Cassidy Gold and a former mining analyst.
Bush holds a Bachelor of Science (geology) from Curtin University, a Master of Science (mineral project appraisal) from the University of London (Imperial College) and is a member of the AIG.
Terry Gadenne - Non-executive Director
Terry Gadenne has over 30 years’ experience in military and civilian aviation, agriculture and mining management. He was the chief pilot of Mackay Helicopters and managing director of Mining Logic, located in Queensland. Throughout his career, Gadenne has had various board positions in not-for-profit organisations.
He holds a Bachelor of Aviation Studies (management) from the University of Western Sydney, completed the Company Directors Course with AICD and was a former army and navy pilot.
Mindy Ku - Company Secretary
Mindy Ku has over 15 years' international experience in financial analysis, financial reporting, management accounting, compliance reporting, board reporting, company secretarial services and office management across multiple jurisdictions (Australia, Malaysia, UK, Sweden and Norway) including ASX-listed public and private companies.
Ku holds a Bachelor of Science in computing from the University of Greenwich, United Kingdom, is a member of Certified Practising Accountant Australia and a fellow member of the Governance Institute of Australia.
EIS Grant for Minnie Springs Copper Porphyry Drilling
- Augustus Minerals has been granted a co-funded drilling grant of up to $110,000 for 2 x 700m deep diamond drill holes under the WA Government’s Exploration Incentive Scheme (EIS) for the Minnie Springs prospect.
- The deeper diamond drill program is designed to test and to provide a 550m deep, 1km wide geological/geochemical/structural cross-section through the large 3km long by 1km wide copper moly porphyry system, linking the Mo mineralised leucogranite to the extensive Cu in soil anomaly to the northeast.
- Previous RC drilling at Minnie Springs intersected mineralisation, geology and alteration halo consistent with the zoning of a large porphyry copper / moly system.
Andrew Ford, GM Exploration
“The Company is pleased to receive an EIS grant to complete deeper drilling at the Minnie Springs Copper Molybdenum Project. The resultant data will enable mapping of the lithology and alteration to a depth of 550m and potentially intersect, or provide vectors to, higher grade Mo-Cu mineralisation using a Mo-Cu porphyry geological model”.
Minnie Springs
Minnie Springs hosts porphyry related copper molybdenum mineralisation previously drilled and defined by Catalyst Metals. A molybdenum Exploration target has been defined for the historicdrillingareacomprisedofbetween12-84Mtasoutlinedbelow (Table 1 and Figure 1, 2.)1.
Table 1. Exploration target size estimate for Minnie Springs Molybdenum depositNote: Based on ~300 ppm cut-off at 100% recovery.
The potential quantity and grade of the exploration target is conceptual in nature, there has been insufficient exploration to estimate a Mineral Resources, and it is uncertain if further exploration will result in the estimation of a Mineral Resource.
The planned diamond drilling will complement the recently completed 3,200m RC drilling program that infilled around hole MSRC012 (18m @ 0.37% Cu and 9.7 g/t Ag from 94m downhole, and 16m @ 0.38% Cu and 19.4g/t Ag from 121m downhole2) and tested the northern half of the 2km long copper-in soil anomaly. Assays from this program are expected to become available over the next month.
The limited exploration in the region, highlighted by 95% of the Ti-Tree project having no previous exploration, demonstrates the prospectivity of this underexplored mineral province.
Click here for the full ASX Release
This article includes content from Augustus Minerals, licensed for the purpose of publishing on Investing News Australia. This article does not constitute financial product advice. It is your responsibility to perform proper due diligence before acting upon any information provided here. Please refer to our full disclaimer here.
Quarterly Activity Report 31 March 2024
Figure 1. Fiery Creek Copper Prospect/Yataga Granodiorite summarizing rock (brown diamonds) and termite mound sample results (black crosses)
Continuing with its primary exploration focus on the Georgetown project in the latter half of 2023, EMU received assay results during the quarter from its second, in field reconnaissance work. The geochemical sampling programme covered the Fiery Creek high grade copper vein swarm and the Snake Creek prospects with significant element results returned from the Fiery Creek Copper (elevated Cu-Au-Ag-Bi-In-Pb-Sb-Te) and Snake Creek (elevated Pb-Ag-Au-Sb).
Whilst the survey was cut short due to inclement weather, EMU was encouraged by the significant success reflected in the assays results. The results from mineralogical studies confirmed EMU’s interpretation of an indicative, scale Copper-Porphyry system at the Fiery Creek prospect and was a highlight of the survey with new information building on the scale and potential of the prospect1.
Assay results returned included:
- Fiery Creek rock assay results up to 23.5% Cu, 0.27ppm Au, 460ppm Ag, 1.9% Bi, 89ppm In, 2.7% Pb, 667ppm Sb, 1470ppm Zn2.
- evidence of strong potential for the presence of critical and strategic minerals (Cu, Bi, In), with precious and base metals.
- evidence of alteration mineralogy, mineralisation geochemistry and areal extent of the Fiery Creek quartz-Cu-Bi vein swarm strongly suggesting a previously unrecognised subjacent porphyry Cu-Mo system.
- Yataga Granitoid Complex termite mound and coincident rock chip sampling returned several anomalous polymetallic zones for follow up.
- Snake Creek Prospect assays returned 0.20ppm Au, 390ppm Ag, 22.4% Pb, 464ppm Sb1.
Significant results were returned from the Fiery Creek Copper prospect with elevated Cu-Au- Ag-Bi-In-Pb-Sb-Te and from the Snake Creek prospect with elevated Pb-Ag-Au-Sb.
The elevated pathfinder element results and a macro-petrology assessment3 of rock samples completed by Mr Nigel Maund, Consulting Economic Geologist, from the previously unexplored Fiery Creek Prospect, point to the discovery of a porphyry copper system.
The sampling program assessed a number of high-priority prospects within the Georgetown Project tenements utilising termite mound and outcrop rock chip geochemistry. A total of 46 rock chip and 489 termite mound samples were collected across eight prospects.
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This article includes content from EMU NL, licensed for the purpose of publishing on Investing News Australia. This article does not constitute financial product advice. It is your responsibility to perform proper due diligence before acting upon any information provided here. Please refer to our full disclaimer here.
Basin Energy Mining Exploration Entity or Oil and Gas Exploration Entity Quarterly Cash Flow Report
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Miramar Resources Investor Kit
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