Announcement • Jan 19
Rupert Resources Ltd. Reports Higher Gold Grades from Infill Drilling at Ikkari
Rupert Resources Ltd. announced that infill drilling at Ikkari is returning higher gold grades and exploration drilling has extended mineralisation at the Company’s largely untested Heinä Central target. Infill drilling has returned significant intervals of gold mineralization, in places, at higher grades than estimated in the reported resource estimate (Sept 2021). Drilling (tables 1 and 2b) also confirms high-grade continuity of the central mineralised zone, including: #121158 returning 9.4 g/t Au over 13m from 166m and 4.5 g/t Au over 97m from 220m and #121125 returning 3.8 g/t Au over 102m from 310m (240m vertical), including 6.9 g/t Au over 42m Infill drilling from the east of Ikkari has identified higher grades than previously intersected in a mineralised zone with vertical continuity: #121154 – 12.6 g/t Au over 8m from 105m (117m vertical). #121134 – 4.2 g/t Au over 24m from 225m (175m vertical). #121145 – 3.8 g/t Au over 15m from 324m (254m vertical). #121148 – 5.5 g/tAu over 17m from 379m (297m vertical). Heinä Central: Recent drilling from the regional program has been focused on the Heinä Central discovery, located 1 kilometre (“km”) north of Ikkari, as part of an ongoing definition drilling program (see Nov. 29, 2021, press release). Previous limited drilling at Heinä Central intersected not only broad intervals of gold mineralization, but also copper. New high-grade gold and copper results from Heinä Central support plunge potential to depth evidenced by: #121131 – 4.5 g/t Au and 2.1% Cu over 14.7m from 131m (109m vertical) and 2.9 g/t Au and 0.6% Cu over 10m from 153m (128m vertical) #121133 – 3.0 g/t Au and 0.7% Cu over 15m from 239m (208m vertical)Results from a further 17 primarily infill holes (figure 2) continue to highlight the exceptional mineralised continuity of the Ikkari orebody with several incidences of grades in excess of those modelled in the September 2021 mineral resource estimate. Further high-grade results include, in the central section, #121125 whichreturned 3.8g/t Au over 102m from 310m (240m vertical), including 6.9g/t Au over 42m and #121158 which returned 9.4g/t Au over 13m from 166m and 4.5g/t Au over 97m from 220m. In the eastern section, four new intersections indicated improved grade over a 300m vertical depth than estimated in the September 2021 resource block model. Drilling has now recommenced from the north of Ikkari which will allow deeper step-out drilling of the western and central sections of the deposit. Heinä Central – new drill results: Further drilling from the Heinä Central discovery, located 1km north of Ikkari, have further defined a plunging fold axis that contains significant grade and continuity of gold as well as copper, and remains open to depth (figure 5). Geological modelling of the fold indicates further exploration potential of as yet un-tested fold limbs and potential new hinge zones. Deeper intercepts of the plunge zone in holes #121131, returning 4.5g/t Au and 2.1% Cu over 14.7m from 131m (110m vertical) and 2.9g/t Au and 0.6% Cu over 10m from 153m (128m vertical) and on the adjacent section (40m away) #121133 intersected 3.0g/t Au and 0.7% Cu over 15m from 239m (208m vertical) indicating that the mineralised zone extends to depth. Further high-grade gold potential is demonstrated in recent results with 32.9g/t Au over 5m from 78m in hole #121141, including 101g/t Au over 1m (copper results pending), tracking the fold zone towards surface. Drill testing of the depth extent is planned for first quarter 2022. Geological interpretation: Ikkari and Heinä Central were discovered using systematic regional exploration that initially focused on geochemical sampling of the bedrock/till interface through glacial till deposits of 5m to 40m thickness. No outcrop is present, and topography is dominated by low-lying swamp areas. The Ikkari deposit ccurs within rocks that have been regionally mapped as 2.05-2.15 billion years (“Ga”) old Savukoski group greenschist-metamorphosed mafic-ultramafic volcanic rocks, part of the Central Lapland Greenstone Belt (“CLGB”). Gold mineralisation is largely confined to the structurally modified unconformity at a significant domain boundary. Younger sedimentary lithologies are complexly interleaved, with intensely altered ultramafic rocks, and the mineralized zone is bounded to the north by a steeply N-dipping cataclastic zone. In general, alteration and structure appear to be sub-vertical, with lithologies generally dipping ~70 degrees north. The main mineralized zone is strongly altered and characterised by intense veining and foliation that frequently overprint original textures. An early phase of finely laminated, grey ankerite/dolomite veins is overprinted by stockwork-like irregular siderite ± quartz ± chlorite ± sulphide veins. These vein arrays are often deformed with shear-related boudinage and in situ brecciation. Magnetite and/or haematite are common, in association with pyrite. Hydrothermal alteration commonly comprises quartz-dolomite-chlorite-magnetite (±haematite). Gold is hosted by disseminated and vein-related pyrite. Multi-phase breccias are well developed within the mineralised zone, with early silicified cataclastic phases overprinted by late, carbonate- iron-oxide- rich, hydrothermal breccias which display a subvertical control. All breccias frequently host disseminated pyrite, and are often associated with bonanza gold grades, particularly where magnetite or haematite is prevalent. In the sedimentary lithologies, albite alteration is intense and pervasive, with pyrite-magnetite (± gold) hosted in veinlets in brittle fracture zones. At Heinä Central, the multiple sulphide zones identified (25 to >50% pyrrhotite + chalcopyrite + pyrite) are hosted by cataclastic quartz-dolomite breccia within a sedimentary sequence that includes interbedded siltstone and carbonaceous shale. This sequence is intruded by mafic dykes, and intermediate intrusives are also present. Brecciation is associated with a broad, complex, folded structural zone that is related to decoupling along lithological contacts and localised folding. Review by Qualified Person, Quality Control and Reports Dr Charlotte Seabrook, MAIG, RPGeo., Exploration Manager of Rupert, is the Qualified Person as defined by National Instrument 43-101 responsible for the accuracy of scientific and technical information in this news release. Samples are prepared by ALS Finland in Sodankylä and assayed in ALS laboratories in Ireland, Romania or Sweden. All samples are under watch from the drill site to the storage facility. Samples are assayed using fire assay method with aqua regia digest and analysis by AAS for gold. Over limit analysis for >10 ppm Au is conducted using fire assay and gravimetric finish for assays over >100ppm Au.