Image Resources (ASX:IMA) Eucla Basin Cyclone Extended HM Strands Increased By 80% To 4.5Km Strike Length
Perth, Oct 27, 2009 AEST (ABN Newswire) - Image Resources (ASX:IMA) has completed a 402-hole, 16,308m aircore drilling programme at Serpentine Lakes in the Eucla Basin, following up its previous drilling which intersected significant thicknesses of zircon-rich heavy minerals (HM). Zircon comprises up to 45% of the HM assemblage (IMA ASX releases 30/10/2008 and 11/02/2009) and is of great significance because it is the highest value mineral normally found in HM deposits (approximately 10 times the value of ilmenite).
In addition, the material has very low slime values (range1.8-7.6%, average 4.2%), Low slime content is important because the material is easier to treat and operating costs of mining are reduced.
To date some 2066 of 4304 samples (1 or 2m intervals) selected for laboratory processing have been completed. Significant results include:
- Hole SL249; 16m @ 4.4% HM from 12m, including 3m @ 10.1% HM from 24m
- Hole SL301; 8m @ 5.0 % HM from 26m, including 2m @ 12.4% HM from 28m
- Hole SL350; 12m @ 3.9% HM from 20m, including 3m @ 8.4% HM from 25m
- Hole SL373; 17m @ 4.4% HM from 13m, including 3m @ 10.7%HM from 18m
- Hole SL390; 10m @ 5.3% HM from 12m, including 2m @ 10.2%HM from 19m
Two distinct zones of mineralisation are recognised within the Cyclone Extended HM prospect which abuts Diatreme Resources' Cyclone resource to the north. Based on the drilling completed to date, the western zone of Cyclone Extended has been closed off to the south. The main body of this zone is 2 km long and 800m wide, and there is a ~200m wide extension to the south for a further 750m.
However the eastern zone, about 800m wide, remains open to the south and probably extends up to 4.5km within the Image tenements.
The drillholes shown in Figures 1 and 5 (For figures, see link at Bottom of release) and are coloured by metal factor (intersected thickness x grade in m%HM). The metal factors are based on a mix of laboratory and visual estimates at this stage. Metal factors greater than 40m% are shown in magenta, 20 - 40m% in red, 7- 20m% in orange, 2 -7m% in green, and less than 2m% in blue.
The cross sections in Figures 2 and 3 (For figures, see link at Bottom of release) show the mineralisation along four new traverses at Cyclone Extended. Some of the more significant intersections are annotated and thicknesses between 9m and 17m are shown. Laboratory results from all of the holes above the mineralised zones shown on the sections have yet to be received. Past experience has shown that panned estimates are significantly lower than heavy media separation results for samples from this zone, and intersections exceeding 20m thickness are not uncommon in the previous Image drilling in this area. As a result, it is anticipated that the final thicknesses of mineralisation will be even greater than those shown on the sections.
These new results highlight that Cyclone Extended is a potentially economic discovery, particularly when considered with Diatreme's contiguous Cyclone deposit, which together extend for some 10km in length. This combined mineralisation deposit is a significant size on a global scale and can be compared favourably with the Jacinth-Ambrosia deposits in the Eucla Basin.
Additional mineralisation has been identified about 1.5 km east of Cyclone Extended that requires more drilling to define its extent. Some 20km east of Cyclone Extended further HM mineralisation has been identified at the Monsoon prospect. The area between Cyclone Extended and Monsoon remains prospective for additional mineralisation. Wide spaced stratigraphic holes to the south of Cyclone Extended intersected significant thicknesses of the sediment that hosts the mineralisation at Cyclone Extended. Interpretation of the drilling in the centre of the tenements indicates the palaeo-shorelines trend across the scout drill profiles, although no significant mineralisation was intersected in the wide spaced holes. This area will be investigated further in the next phase of exploration.
Figure 5 shows the Monsoon prospect in more detail. The mineralisation at Monsoon has been traced for over 2.5km and is open to the south-east, but for approximately 2 km to the north-west the beach sediments appear to have been eroded by the drainage system that today forms the Serpentine Lakes. The strandlines are interpreted to extend across the state border with South Australia, and into a conservation park. Laboratory processing of samples from Monsoon is in progress prior to assessing the significance of this mineralisation.
When sample processing is complete, mineral assemblage studies and resource estimation will commence. Image anticipates that the grades and continuity of mineralisation indicated from the drilling to date will allow the estimation of inferred resources for Cyclone Extended and Monsoon. Following this it is anticipated that a scoping study will be carried out to assess the economic potential of the project.
Further drilling may then be undertaken to outline the full extent of the mineralisation and to investigate the mineralisation potential of the paleo-shorelines between Cyclone Extended and Monsoon where a 10km-long target area has been identified.
Image Resources is most encouraged by the drilling results received to date which continue to point to potential for extensive zircon-rich mineralisation with significant high titanium leucoxene and rutile credits.
For the complete Image Resources ASX Announcement and Figures, please click the link below:
http://www.abnnewswire.net/media/en/docs/61648-ASX-IMA-465949.pdf
About Image Resources NL
Image Resources NL (ASX:IMA) is a mineral sands focused mining company operating an open-cut mine and ore processing facility at its 100%-owned, high-grade, zircon-rich Boonanarring Project, located 80km north of Perth in the infrastructure rich North Perth Basin.
Boonanarring is arguably one of the highest grade, zircon-rich mineral sands projects in Australia. Construction and project commissioning were completed on-time and on-budget in 2018. Production commenced in December 2018 and HMC production ramped-up to exceed name-plate capacity in only the second month of operation.
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