North American Exploration (NAE) has announced the commencement of drilling at its Lammerlaw Gold and Antimony Project in New Zealand. The drilling program is part of a two-phase initiative designed to assess nine high-priority targets identified through extensive geochemical surveys, geological mapping, and geophysical data analysis.
Phase 1 of the drilling program at Lammerlaw, located under Permit 60807, will focus on confirming the style of mineralization responsible for the gold, antimony, and tungsten anomalies identified through soil sampling and at historical mining sites. The project area is characterized by several west-northwest trending mineralized zones that run parallel to the foliation in the region’s schist and airborne geophysical trends. These mineralized zones, which span approximately 4 kilometers, have been identified through a combination of NAE soil samples, previous exploration data, surveys of historic workings, and geological mapping.
The Lammerlaw permit area is primarily covered by a layer of loess, or windblown silt, ranging from 1 to 5 meters in depth. Beneath this layer lies a thin zone of weathered schist, which obscures the underlying mineralization. Soil sampling is conducted using hand augers to penetrate the loess, as surface sampling is ineffective due to the buried anomalies and the shallow nature of the weathered schist, which limits the development of supergene mineralization.
Joshua Wellisch, Executive Director of NAE, commented: “We are excited to commence drilling at the Lammerlaw Project, where historical mining and modern exploration have indicated the strong potential for high-grade gold and antimony mineralization. This drilling program is a critical step in advancing the project and unlocking value for our shareholders.”
The Phase 1 program will target five of the nine identified locations, all derived from historic exploration data and NAE’s soil sampling efforts. These include areas with high-grade gold (Au) and antimony (Sb) discoveries, supported by historical production data. Each selected drill hole will explore two potential mineralization types, associated with gold, arsenic (As), antimony, or tungsten (W), as outlined in the following conceptual targets:
Shear Zones: These zones, which run parallel to schist foliation, are similar to mineralization styles seen in other deposits like Macreas or Rise n Shine. This type of mineralization can be subtle and will likely be detected through pXRF analysis and assays following drilling.
Brittle Vein Structures: Mineralization can also occur in vertically oriented or high-angle vein structures, which may be identified through detailed mineral analysis during on-site logging of the drill holes.
Both mineralization styles (shear zones and high-angle veins) yield similar results in terms of soil anomalies. Historical mining data suggests that some of the mineralization in the Lammerlaw area occurs within brittle vein structures. NAE is the first company to explore the potential of shear zone mineralization in this region.
The drilling targets are located in areas where multiple mineralization indicators align, such as historical mining sites, elevated gold values in soil samples, and coincident increases in arsenic, antimony, and occasionally tungsten values. Drill holes will be strategically placed to intersect both types of targets within approximately 100 meters of each other.
Related topics:
- India Surpasses China in Gold Purchases, Buying 51% More in Three Months
- Qilu Bank Enhances Support for Small Businesses with Innovative Financial Tools
- Bitcoin Poised for a Surge Amid Gold’s Delivery Delays, Expert Claims
