Exceptional grades at Kildare
PERTH-based explorer Zinc of Ireland has discovered ‘exceptional’ high-grade, shallow mineralisation at its Kildare zinc project south-west of Dublin, Ireland.
On 8 November, Zinc of Ireland announced it had intersected multiple zones of high-grade zinc mineralisation in the shallow regions of the Celtic Tiger and McGregor prospects.
“Zinc of Ireland managing director Peter van der Borgh said the results were a “clear game-changer” for the company and the future of the Kildare zinc project.”
Drilling results included up to 25 per cent zinc and lead within 200m of surface at Celtic Tiger, confirming potential for shallower mineralisation across the project.
The company also confirmed potential to upgrade the current inferred resource, which currently stands at 5.2 million tonnes (mt) at 8.6 per cent combined zinc and lead.
Zinc of Ireland managing director Peter van der Borgh said the results were a “clear game-changer” for the company and the future of the Kildare zinc project.
“From an exploration perspective, this means cheaper and quicker drilling for shallower targets, while the presence of shallower, more accessible mineralisation will obviously translate into improved economics when we undertake future financial modelling of the project,” he said.
“It also brings into play more than 4km of similar geology along the Western Margin of the Graben, as well as similar structural settings that we are identifying elsewhere within the project and beyond. And then of course there’s proof of concept for our exploration model, which also has widespread application.”
The company will continue drilling at Celtic Tiger over the coming months, with a further two or three holes scheduled to be completed before Christmas.
An updated mineral resources estimate for Kildare and maiden exploration target for the Celtic Tiger project was also planned for Q1 2018.