Iceni Gold Ltd (ASX:ICL) has discovered gold nuggets in the north Guyer area in Western Australia, coinciding with the UFF+ gold anomaly 14UF003.
The company said the presence of the gold nuggets provides physical evidence that supports the UFF+ results.
The majority of the nuggets are <1g. They are well rounded, indicating they have been transported, and were found within the surface alluvium. The rounded nuggets have a deep yellow colour and have a high purity with a gold-silver ratio of ~95-99% gold (analysed by pXRF). The angular nuggets have a pale yellow colour and a lower purity with a gold-silver ratio of ~85% gold (analysed by pXRF).
The high purity is caused by weathering removing the silver or Supergene processes, upgrading the gold. The Supergene process involves gold being weathered from a nearby primary source, then transported in solution within the groundwater and re-deposited. The gold precipitates out of the groundwater within the weathered profile forming new nuggets or plating new gold onto existing nuggets.
The angular nuggets are of interest because they have not travelled far and are interpreted to be close to the primary source. They have a gold-silver ratio that is consistent with the composition of gold expected from an orogenic primary source.
Air Core Drilling Programme
Iceni recently completed the Guyer Air Core drilling programme, with 363 holes for ~23,000m. The drilling was designed to test across the interpreted position of the Guyer Shear along the eastern side of the Danjo Granite, and covers the area within the UFF+ gold anomaly and the recently discovered nugget trend. The assay results from this drilling are imminent.
Gold nuggets and gold specimen stone have been recovered from the Everleigh Well target area near the existing diamond drillholes FMDD0032 and FMDD0034.
The nuggets/specimens from Everleigh were found in the transported surface alluvium. The direction of transport from the primary bedrock source is interpreted to be from the northwest. The specimens are large and are interpreted to be close to source.
The gold-silver ratios of these specimens range between 80-90% gold (analysed by pXRF), which is consistent with the expected values for gold derived from a primary source.
“The gold nuggets provide physical support for the UFF+ soil anomaly and the shape and composition of the nuggets suggest primary sources are nearby,” Technical Director David Nixon said.
“The results of the air core programme at Guyer that covers the same area will help to confirm if there is mineralisation in that area.”
For further information please visit: https://www.icenigold.com.au/
