Kairos Minerals’ flagship 1.1-million-ounce Mount York Pilbara gold project looks set for a serious growth spurt after new high-grade gold intersections below the existing resource over much of the strike length have paved the way for an increase. Best results include 5m at 4.25 g/t gold from 73m, 7m going 3.35 g/t from 172m and 8m at 3.67 g/t gold from 185m.
The Mount York project is located in the emerging Pilbara Craton gold region of WA. The area was partially mined by Lynas Gold NL between 1994 and 1998 with shallow open pits worked along a 2.5-3km arcuate strike at Main Pit, Breccia Hill and Gossan Hill. Kairos has grown the resource to 28 million tonnes at 1.23 g/t gold for 1.1 million ounces of gold.
The company has been vindicated for its firm belief that the resource is much bigger and kicked off the current campaign of 11,013m over 46 holes to drill beyond the resource limits at depth and as infill between the deposits. Over half of the drilled metres were diamond core providing geological data and enabling bulk density calculations to feed into a revised resource estimation.
Results have now been received for 33 drill holes with 13 to come from the Main pit, The Gap and other zones. At Breccia Hill and Gossan Hill previous exploration was limited to 150m depth providing an opportunity for Kairos to grow the resource through deeper drilling. Despite Main pit having drill rig access limitations, one hole intersected a 15.4m zone of hanging wall sulphides with assays due in March.
At Breccia Hill best results include 7m grading 3.35 g/t gold from 172m downhole, 15m going 1.47 g/t and 8m at 3.67 g/t gold from 185m.
At Gossan Hill best results include 23m running 1.47 g/t gold from 148m, 10m going 2.49 g/t from 64m and 11m at 1.78 g/t gold from 177m. At The Gap results include an 80m zone going 0.52 g/t gold from 129m and 4m at 1.62g/t gold from 164m.
Kairos Minerals Managing Director, Dr Peter Turner said: “The results support our view that Mt York is a big system in a Tier-1 location with consistent mineralisation. We are confident that the resource will continue to grow. In parallel with our strategy to increase the inventory, we are progressing preparations for project development with Mining Lease Applications already submitted.”
Kairos argues the results show consistent and wide zones of gold mineralisation that often include intervals of gold grading higher than the current resource head grade of 1.23 g/t gold.
After receiving the remaining drill results the company will commission density measurements, revise the resource estimate and update pit optimisation calculations. Kairos intends to rapidly progress pre-feasibility work to determine the best pathway to a sustainable long-life mining project.
Resource upgrades at Mount York will be watched with interest as the project progresses toward mining. Recent drilling appears to have not only expanded the resource but showed the deposit is open at depth along much of the considerable strike length.
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