Latest Results from RAB Drilling Prove Positive for Frontline Gold
This week, Frontline Gold Corp (TSX: FGC) announced results from the initial rotary air blast (RAB) drill program at its Niaouleni Gold Project in Mali. The results met all their expectations, and the company is now confident that in combination with historical data, and the company’s own soil and termite mound sampling, it will allow the identification of numerous targets for a forthcoming follow up diamond drill program. The RAB drilling has also identified two substantial mineralised trends on the property, including an entirely new mineralised zone. In addition, the program confirmed three previously know mineralised zones are connected over a 6 kilometre strike length. These buoyant findings have not only improved the outlook for the Niaouleni Project in themselves, but have pave the path towards further exploration and a NI 43-101 compliant resource estimate.
To give you some background, Frontline Gold Corp is a Canadian junior mineral exploration company, with a market capitalisation of C$6.2 million and C$1.4 million in cash. The company’s primary asset is the flagship Niaouleni Gold Project in West Mali, although the company also hold two other gold projects, in Turkey and Ontario, as well as a 50% interest in a zinc – lead project in Nova Scotia.
The Niaouleni Project lies in the south west region of Mali, in Africa's Gold belt, and is around 200 kilometres from Bamako, the country’s capital. The company hold two permits in the area, spanning a land position of around 100 square kilometres. There are approximately 12 operating mines surrounding Niaouleni, with Frontline’s project sitting between the 6.4 million ounce Lero mine, and the 5.9 million ounce Morila mine. This property has had extensive exploration programs conducted over the past 20 years, including mapping, pitting, trenching, geophysical surveys and approximately 5,000 metres of drilling. This discovered four principal areas of alluvial and hard rock mineralisation, known as the Lebre Plateau, Niaouleni Sud, Kankou Moussa and Goingoindougou mineralised zones. Frontlines focus has been on the 12 kilometre long gold anomaly, stretching from north to south in the property, just below the AGG 500,000 ounce gold discovery.
This latest preliminary reconnaissance RAB drill program consisted of 9,521 metres of drilling across 173 holes, to depths between 10 and 90 metres. Some of the more significant intercepts from the program, include a 4 metre intercept, grading 3.81 grams per tonne ( g/t) of gold, and a 4 metre intercept grading 3.24g/t of gold. In addition, Frontline highlights intersections of 4 metres grading 2.12g/t, 4 metres grading 1.15g/t, 4 metres grading 1.21g/t, and 8 metres grading 1.82g/t, which included a 2 metre intercept grading 5.63g/t.
The RAB drill program showed in the north west and central parts of the Niaouleni Permits area, the Lebre Plateau, South Niaouleni and Kankou Moussa gold mineralisation areas are structurally connected, over a six kilometres strike length along a northeast to southwest trend. Additionally, the Goingoindougou mineralised area in the south east area of the permits, has been confirmed as an independent gold mineralisation area, and a further new gold mineralised trend has been identified in the Lebre Plateau.
An additional gold mineralised trend is currently indicated from termite mound sampling to extend two kilometres to the North from Kankou Moussa. This trend is open to the north and at depth. A recently discovered region of ancient artisanal working is also located along the same trend, about 600 metres to the north of the currently interpreted area. According to Frontline, these artisanal workings occur in a tree covered lateritic plateau, and are marked by a strong, coherent termite mound anomaly. This gold mineralised area extends for 600 metres with a width of 200 metres.
The newly discovered mineralized area in the Lebre Plateau area occurs farther north along the trend, on the opposite side of a 500 metre wide river valley. The workings extend an additional 600 metres to the north with a width of around 200 to 300 metres. Frontline note that these areas of former artisanal activity were not known to the local mining community, and suggest this in itself indicates the considerable age of the workings.
Going forward, Frontline have now commission ACA Howe International to produce a NI 43-101 compliant report, which will include a comprehensive integration of these new and historic results, and suggest recommendations for an autumn program of follow up exploration, including a targeted diamond drilling campaign. This report is due to be delivered before the end of August this year, and leaves investors with the potential for further positive newsflow over the next few months.
