공시 • Nov 24
Erdene Expands High-Grade Mineralization At Dark Horse Prospect, Generates New Targets
Erdene Resource Development Corporation announced results from recent drilling at the Dark Horse prospect, located approximately two kilometres north of its Bayan Khundii Gold Project in the Khundii Minerals District (the “District”) in southwest Mongolia. The Third Quarter 2022 Dark Horse drill program, completed in September 2022, was designed to confirm and expand gold mineralization in this prospect, located approximately two kilometres north of Erdene’s shovel-ready Bayan Khundii Gold Project. The 20-square-kilometre Dark Horse prospect comprises the northern portion of the Company’s Khundii mining and Ulaan exploration licenses. Drilling to date at Dark Horse has focused on the Dark Horse Mane (“DHM”) prospect, a 1.5-kilometre, north-south oriented, mineralized trend discovered in early 2021, that remains open along strike to the north and south and at depth. Along this trend, Erdene has delineated southern and northern zones, referred to as Dark Horse Mane South and Dark Horse Mane North, respectively, and recently identified the East Mane prospect that was drill tested in Third Quarter 2022. The recently completed drilling program consisted of 29 holes (including one hole extension) totaling 2,417 metres. Exploration was focused on Dark Horse Mane South, Dark Horse Mane North as well as targets adjacent to the Dark Horse Mane mineralized trend identified through the reverse circulation (“RC”) drill program completed in mid-2022, geophysics and surfacing sampling. Highlights from the Third Quarter 2022 Dark Horse drill program are provided below in Table 1. A drill hole plan map, section, and comprehensive table of results are attached to this release. Drilling at Dark Horse Mane South was comprised of seven holes totaling 543 metres, including five near surface, large diameter (PQ), diamond drill holes, totaling 82 metres (AAD-214 to AAD-218). The PQ holes were drilled to confirm continuity of grade and geometry of shallow, very high-grade mineralization and to collect material for process test work. Multiple zones of high-grade mineralization were intersected within 15 metres of surface, with several one-metre intervals returning grades exceeding 10 g/t gold, including a one-metre interval grading 88.5 g/t gold (AAD-218; 6 to 7 metres), interpreted as supergene enrichment. Two holes at DHM South, AAD-191 and AAD-192, were designed to test extension of mineralization at depth. These holes, collared in the northern and southern portions of DHM South, respectively, successfully expanded the area of alteration and mineralization at depth, returning up to 1.82 g/t gold over two metres (AAD-191), as well as strongly anomalous indicator element mineralization (As and Sb). Within the 750 metre northern portion (DHM North) of the mineralized trend, 1,013 metres, over 13 holes (12 new holes and one hole extension) were drilled to test the potential of the prospect at depth and along strike. This drilling returned the highest grade mineralization to date in this target area, with hole AAD-194 intersecting 2 metres of 11.2 g/t gold within 8 metres averaging 4.1 g/t gold, beginning 159 metres down hole (112 metres true depth), demonstrating high grade gold continuing with depth. Mineralization is structurally controlled and associated with strongly brecciated and oxidized core. In addition to hole AAD-194, holes AAD-198 and AAD-199 extended mineralization 30 metres south along strike, returning intervals including 6 metres of 0.34 g/t gold and 9 metres averaging 0.46 g/t gold, respectively, within oxidized core. Furthermore, hole AAD-205, in the central portion of DHM North, intersected multiple gold bearing zones, including an interval that returned 19 metres of 0.97 g/t gold, beginning 122 metres down hole (85 metres vertical depth), suggesting strong vertical continuity, that remains open, with increasing gold grades at depth. Holes AAD-208 and AAD-209 returned 12 metres averaging 2.28 g/t gold and 16 metres of 1.30 g/t gold, respectively, demonstrating mineralization has strong vertical (down dip) continuity. Finally, previously reported hole AAD-166 was extended from 80 metres to 142 metres, intersecting multiple gold bearing zones, including 9 metres of 1.05 g/t gold, associated with quartz-hematite veins. A further nine holes, totaling 861 metres were drilled to test high priority targets within a 700 metre by 1 kilometre area east of the Dark Horse Mane target, identified through the recently completed RC drill program, geochemical surveys and geophysical anomaly interpretation. Most importantly, in a new area, now referred to as the East Mane Target, hole AAD-193, located 480 metres east of DHM, returned 3 metres of 2.13 g/t gold within a thick unit of intensely white mica altered andesite porphyry. This hole is located at a NS and NE structural intersection and within an area of magnetic low /chargeability high, very similar to the geological environment of DHM South. Additionally, holes AAD-212 and AAD-213 followed up on AAD-193, and returned anomalous gold and strongly anomalous indicator element mineralization (As and Sb), suggesting close proximity to potential gold mineralization. Several of the other holes drilled in the area returned elevated gold and indicator elements (As and Sb). Taken together, the results show mineralizing fluids were present throughout the target area, confirming East Mane as an exciting new prospect. Follow-up exploration is warranted and will be undertaken in the coming months.