TIDMEEE
RNS Number : 0605R
Empire Metals Limited
27 February 2023
Empire Metals Limited / LON : EEE / Sector: Natural
Resources
27 February 2023
Empire Metals Limited
("Empire " or "the Company")
Extensive Kaolin Mineralisation Identified at
Eclipse-Gindalbie
Empire Metals Limited (LON: EEE), the AIM-quoted resource
exploration and development company, is pleased to provide an
update on the reverse circulation ('RC') drilling programme
recently completed at the Eclipse-Gindalbie Project (the
'Project'), located in Western Australia. A campaign consisting of
nine RC drill holes for 770m was completed in January, targeting
both kaolin and high-grade gold mineralisation around the
historical South Gippsland #3 mine, which to date has been
under-explored.
Highlights
-- Seven holes were drilled for kaolin with three reporting the
following significant white kaolin intercepts :
o 40m at 21.12% Al(2) O(3) from 8m to 48m downhole
(23GPRC_005);
o 12m at 20.87% Al(2) O(3) from 4m to 16m downhole
(23GPRC_003);
o 22m at 21.47% Al(2) O(3) from 18m to 40m downhole
(23GPRC_003);
o 11m at 20.80% Al(2) O(3) from 13m to 24m downhole
(23GPRC_006).
-- Kaolin is used extensively in a number of industries
including paper, plastics, adhesives, rubber, paint, refractories,
cement, bricks and ceramics, and is considered to be a desirable
feedstock for the production of high-purity aluminium oxide
('alumina') which is an essential component in lithium-ion
batteries.
-- Of the two holes drilled for gold mineralisation, one
reported the following significant intercepts:
o 1.5m at 5.04 g/t Au from 47m to 48.5m downhole
(23GPRC_009);
o 1.5m at 1.73 g/t Au from 49.5m to 51m downhole
(23GPRC_009).
Shaun Bunn, Managing Director, said: "Whilst our focus remains
on our potential "Giant" copper project at Pitfield with planning
for the maiden drill programme receiving the upmost priority, these
recent drill results from Gindalbie are nonetheless highly
encouraging, having returned multiple significant intercepts of
white kaolin from our initial targeted area, just west of the
historical South Gippsland #3 mine. Further test work on the kaolin
samples collected from this drill programme is required to
ascertain the likely kaolin yield and brightness, two key factors
in determining the quality of any potential deposit. We expect this
metallurgical evaluation to commence in the next few weeks."
"In addition to the kaolin intercepts encountered, one of the
test holes adjacent to the South Gippsland #3 shaft has returned
high gold values. This drill hole encountered a small stope between
48.5m and 49.5m where the high-grade gold vein had previously been
mined. Further drilling along strike of this intercept is warranted
to test the extent of this high-grade gold shoot."
RC Drilling Campaign at Eclipse-Gindalbie
The Eclipse-Gindalbie Gold Project consists of two adjacent
mining leases, located near the historic gold mining town of
Gindalbie, situated 55km north-east of Kalgoorlie.
Empire holds a 75% interest in the 306ha Eclipse mining lease
(M27/153), which contains the Eclipse and Jack's Dream historical
gold mine workings. In February 2022 Empire entered into a Tribute
Agreement that gives Empire the exclusive right to explore, develop
and mine within a granted area on Maher Mining's 100% owned mining
lease M27/158 ('Gindalbie'), which sits adjacent to the eastern
border of the Eclipse licence area and extends the current area for
exploration targets by 643ha to a total of 943ha.
Following on from successful drilling campaigns in February 2022
and June 2022, targeting historical gold workings within the
Gindalbie licence area, the Company decided to carry out a small RC
campaign consisting of nine RC drill holes for 770m. This drilling
focused around the historical South Gippsland #3 mine where
previous drilling in February 2022 by the Company found evidence of
kaolinite-rich clays within the intensely leached upper part of the
weathering profile (Figure 1).
Figure 1: Collar positions and drill hole details in proximity
to historical workings of the South Gippsland # 3 Shaft. Note the
red circled 2022 drill collars where kaolin was previously
encountered.
Kaolin
Kaolinite is a nearly white to white, very fine-grained clay
mineral, with the chemical composition Al(2) Si(2) O(5) (OH)(4) .
Rocks that are rich in kaolinite are known as kaolin or "china
clay". Kaolin is used in various industrial applications, from the
manufacture of paper (its use provides the gloss on some grades of
coated paper) to ceramics (it is the main component of porcelain).
In recent years kaolin has been considered as a feedstock for the
production of High Purity Alumina (HPA), an essential component in
the manufacture of lithium-ion batteries.
The Company decided to drill to test the extent and quality of
the kaolin found at the project and to determine what association
it may have with the adjacent high-grade South Gippsland #3 gold
mine. If found in enough quantities and quality, kaolin, has the
potential to add significant value to the Eclipse-Gindalbie Gold
Project.
The kaolin present in the area around the South Gippsland #3
shaft is "saprolitic" kaolin, derived from the surficial weathering
of felsic or metamorphic rocks. Felsic volcanic rocks have been
mapped in the licence area by the Geological Survey of Western
Australia (1:100 000 Gindalbie map, plate 3237), and have been
identified through mapping, drilling and ground magnetic survey
interpretation carried out by Touchstone Geophysics on the adjacent
Eclipse tenement, in the vicinity of the Houdini prospect.
Figure 2: Regional geology with respect to the Eclipse-Gindalbie
Project
No fresh rock was intersected during this drilling campaign.
There were strongly weathered, fine grained, foliated saprock chips
intersected deeper in the holes which are likely to be of the
locally dominant intermediate volcanoclastic rocks frequently
intersected across the tenements.
Of the seven RC holes drilled for kaolin, four returned
significant intercepts of white kaolin (Table 1). These four RC
holes also encountered orange to red coloured saprolitic clays
sitting immediately below the white kaolin. The remaining three RC
holes were drilled through predominantly orange to red coloured
saprolitic clays on the periphery of the white kaolin intercept.
Whilst the Al(2) O(3) enrichment observed in the kaolin continued
into the saprolitic clays the saprolitic clays reported elevated
levels of Fe(2) O(3) which displaces the Al(2) O(3) and accounts
for the distinctive change in colour from white to orange to
red.
Table 1: Significant kaolin intercepts using a cut-off grade of
18% Al(2) O(3) and colour (white to off-white cream).
Hole ID From To Width Al(2) Comments
(m) (m) (m) O(3)
(%)*
Only 2m white clays (kaolin
intersected), the rest of the
intersection is orange saprolitic
23GPRC_001 29 31 2 20.50 clays
23GPRC_002 No significant kaolin intersection,
Al(2) O(3) enrichment throughout
saprolitic clays
------ ----- ------- ------- ------------------------------------
High QV content in from 2m to
23GPRC_003 4 16 12 20.87 24m
------ ----- ------- ------- ------------------------------------
Al(2) O(3) enrichment continues
into light orange saprolitic
18 40 22 21.47 clays
------ ----- ------- ------- ------------------------------------
inc 28 36 8 22.20
------ ----- ------- ------- ------------------------------------
Al(2) O(3) enrichment continues
23GPRC_004 23 32 9 22.08 into red saprolitic clays
------ ----- ------- ------- ------------------------------------
inc 28 32 4 23.26
------ ----- ------- ------- ------------------------------------
Al(2) O(3) enrichment continues
into orange coloured saprolitic
23GPRC_005 8 48 40 21.12 clays
------ ----- ------- ------- ------------------------------------
inc 31 38 7 23.23
------ ----- ------- ------- ------------------------------------
23GPRC_006 10 12 2 19.44
------ ----- ------- ------- ------------------------------------
Al(2) O(3) enrichment continues
into light coloured saprolitic
13 24 11 20.80 clays
------ ----- ------- ------- ------------------------------------
23GPRC_007 No significant kaolin intersection,
Al(2) O(3) enrichment continues
into saprolitic clays
------ ----- ------- ------- ------------------------------------
*Weighted average
The colour difference between the kaolin and the saprolitic
clays is very distinctive, as illustrated in Figure 3 below. Kaolin
was intersected from 2m to 48 in GPRC23_005, however significant
narrow quartz veining throughout the kaolin horizon resulted in
above cut-off Al(2) O(3) content only being intersected from
8m.
Figure 3. Kaolin intersected in GPRC23_005.
Figure 4. Section of GPRC23_003, GPRC23_004 and GPRC23_005
showing Al(2) O(3) content, both within the kaolin zone and the
underlying saprolitic clays.
Figure 5. Section of GPRC23_006 and GPRC23_007 showing Al(2)
O(3) content, both within the kaolin zone and the underlying
saprolitic clays.
Of the two RC holes drilled for gold mineralisation adjacent to
the South Gippsland #3 mine, one reported the following significant
intercepts.
Table 2: Significant gold intercepts at a downhole cut-off grade
of >0.3g/t Au and >1g Au*m intervals
Hole ID From To Width Au Comments
(m) (m) (m) (g/t)
Supergene enrichment adjacent
GPRC23_009 47 48.5 1.5 5.04 to stopes
Supergene enrichment adjacent
GPRC23_009 49.5 51 1.5 1.73 to stopes
---- ---- ----- ------ -----------------------------
The drilling encountered a narrow stope between 48.5m and 49.5 m
downhole.
Figure 6 shows the lack of quartz veining and alteration in the
auriferous intervals intersected in GPRC23_009. Mineralisation is
likely to be attributed to supergene enrichment into the
transitional horizon prior to the primary quartz lode being mined
out.
Figure 6. Stoping intersected in GPRC23_009. Mineralisation is
likely to be attributed to supergene enrichment into the
transitional horizon.
Sampling and Analysis
For the drill holes targeting kaolin, spear-generated 4m
composites, and where appropriate 1m single splits, were submitted
for analysis. 1m splits were selected based on their colour (degree
of whiteness). Samples were selected up to 60m, after that the
regional proximity saprock led to the material becoming
unfavourable to sample. The samples were delivered by the
geological crew to Intertek Kalgoorlie. The samples were crushed
and pulverised and then analysed by XRF using a Li borate fusion
XRF. Samples were assayed for Al(2) O(3) , SiO(2) , CaO, Cr(2) O(3)
, Fe(2) O(3) , K(2) O, MgO, MnO, Na(2) O, P(2) O(5) , SO(3) , and
TiO(2) . No size differentiation or processing was completed prior
to analysis.
For the drill holes targeting gold mineralisation,
spear-generated 4m composites were submitted as a first round pass.
The samples were delivered by the geological crew to Intertek
Kalgoorlie. The samples were crushed and pulverised to at least 85%
passing -75um before being analysed by Fire Assay (50 gram charge)
with an AAS finish. The lowest limit of detection being 0.005g/t
Au.
The trigger for collecting further 1m re-splits was if gold
concentration in the composite samples exceeded 0.2 g/t Au. The
single split samples were then collected and delivered by the
geological crew to ALS Kalgoorlie for priority processing. Samples
were crushed and pulverised to at least 85% passing -75um. They
were then analysed by Fire Assay (50 gram charge) with an AAS
finish. The lowest limit of detection being 0.05g/t Au.
Future Work
The next phase of the exploration programme will focus on the
metallurgical quality of the white kaolin samples collected from
this drill programme. Test work is required to ascertain the size
distribution of the samples, with the clean kaolin generally
reporting to the <45 micron fraction (referred to as the
"yield"). The fine kaolin is then tested to establish a brightness
factor. Brightness refers to the percentage of blue light reflected
from the clay surface at a specific, effective wavelength of 457.
Yield and brightness, along with the iron content, are the key
factors in determining the quality of any potential deposit.
Should the white kaolin achieve acceptable levels of yield and
brightness then a further drilling program, utilising air-core (AC)
drill rigs over a broader target area, is warranted to delineate
the extent of this white kaolin zone.
Competent Person Statement
The technical information in this report that relates to the
Eclipse-Gindalbie Project has been compiled by Ms Louisa Stokes, an
employee of Eclipse Exploration Pty Ltd, a wholly owned subsidiary
of Empire. Ms Stokes is a Member of the Australian Institute of
Mining and Metallurgy. Ms Stokes is employed in the role of
Exploration Geologist and has assisting with the exploration
activities for the Eclipse-Gindalbie project areas. Ms Stokes has
sufficient experience that is relevant to the style of
mineralisation and type of deposit under consideration and to the
activity being undertaken to qualify as a Competent Person as
defined in the 2012 Edition of the 'Australasian Code for Reporting
of Exploration Results, Mineral Resources and Ore Reserves'. Ms
Stokes consents to the inclusion in this release of the matters
based on her information in the form and context in which it
appears.
Market Abuse Regulation (MAR) Disclosure
Certain information contained in this announcement would have
been deemed inside information for the purposes of Article 7 of
Regulation (EU) No 596/2014, as incorporated into UK law by the
European Union (Withdrawal) Act 2018, until the release of this
announcement.
**ENDS**
For further information please visit www.empiremetals.co.uk or contact:
Empire Metals Ltd Tel: 020 7907 9327
Shaun Bunn / Greg Kuenzel
S. P. Angel Corporate Finance LLP Tel: 020 3470 0470
(Nomad & Broker)
Ewan Leggat / Adam Cowl
-------------------
Shard Capital Partners LLP (Joint Tel: 020 7186 9950
Broker)
Damon Heath
-------------------
St Brides Partners Ltd (Financial Tel: 020 7236 1177
PR)
Susie Geliher / Ana Ribeiro / Max
Bennett
-------------------
About Empire Metals Limited
Empire Metals is an AIM-listed (LON: EEE) exploration and
resource development company with a project portfolio comprising
gold interests in Australia and Austria.
The Company's strategy is to develop a pipeline of projects at
different stages in the development curve. Its initial focus has
been on the high-grade Eclipse and Gindalbie Gold Projects in
Western Australia. The Company expanded its exploration licence
area in April 2022 from 9.5km(2) to 1,728km(2) with the acquisition
of the Pitfield Copper-Gold Project and the Walton Copper-Gold
Project in Western Australia, and the Stavely Copper-Gold Project
in the Stavely Arc region of Victoria.
Empire also holds a portfolio of three precious metals projects
located in a historically high-grade gold production region
comprising the Rotgulden, Schonberg and Walchen prospects in
central-southern Austria.
The Board continues to evaluate opportunities through which to
realise the value of its wider portfolio and reviews further assets
which meet the Company's investment criteria.
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