3D Resources Limited has commenced a 12 hole ~2000m Reverse Circulation (RC) drilling program at the Adelong Goldfield, in Southern New South Wales.
3D Resources Chairman, Mr Ian Hastings, said site preparations are underway with drilling to commence today.
“We look forward to this drilling program providing the detailed information on resources for mine optimisation and to take advantage of the numerous exploration targets.”
The first hole is planned to start on the southern extension of the Challenger orebody. As previously announced, 11 of the proposed 12 drill holes are designed to explore areas around the periphery of the proposed Challenger Gold Project open cut mine.
This exploration work will infill some of the existing drilling information and will allow the mine plan to be optimised and improve the understanding of the transition from a possible open pit to underground mining.
The remaining drill hole is within the planned open cut mine and aims to provide additional data on the nature of the waste rock likely to be generated from mining operations, and how this can be managed effectively.
Additional prime targets are being considered with a view to expanding the drill program following the company’s successful capital raising and the recent approvals received from the NSW government. This recent approval includes the entire belt of country between the Challenger Mine and Donkey Hill/Lady Clare, the area covering Gibraltar mine and any potential eastern extension through to Lady Clare.
Approval has also been granted to drill the prospective Sawpit deposit to the south. This impending drilling will aim to expand and upgrade resources and prepare some of these deposits for detailed mine planning.
In May 2020, 3D Resources took control of the Adelong GoldField which covers 70km2, comprising the old Adelong Goldfield situated in Southern NSW located approximately 20km from Tumut and 80km from Gundagai.
The project now carries a JORC (2012) Resource, following the resource upgrade in August 2020 of 180,600 oz of gold as well as 17 freehold properties with all mining and processing plant equipment onsite. Until recently, Adelong was a producing mine.