The majority of the Mizobe Project area is covered by post mineral–recent volcanic ash deposits. Sampling of sporadic altered outcrop and quartz-vein breccia float across a 2 by 2.5 km area in the eastern side of the project area confirmed the presence of strong gold and pathfinder element anomalies with channel samples including composited intervals up to 24.7 m grading 1.0 g/t gold, and river float samples up to 18.9 g/t gold. The extent of gold and antimony anomalism is highly encouraging considering much of the target area is concealed by a veneer of post-mineral volcanic ash.
Two phases of drilling have been completed at Mizobe, with a third phase underway. The drilling has confirmed the presence of broad zones of anomalous gold mineralisation and alteration beneath the post mineralisation. Seven wide space drill holes intersected mineralization. Best intercepts include:
- 10.0m @ 4.27g/t Au from 122.75m (MZDD23-003) and
- 4.0m @ 1.60g/t Au from 36.5m (MZDD23-004).
Mineralization is associated with localised zones of silification, clay-pyrite alteration, narrow zones of hydrothermal brecciation and anomalous arsenic and antimony. This style of alteration and geochemical association is interpreted to represent the upper or peripheral parts of an epithermal system.
The better developed mineralisation is associated with pervasive clay-pyrite-marcasite, which are cross cut by carbonate-quartz-pyrite-marcasite-arsenopyrite breccia and veins and hydrothermal breccia and late stage quartz -carbonate veins. Evidence of colloform banded chalcedony clasts within the breccia.
The Au mineralisation is associated As, Sb, Se, Mo and Mn.
The drilling completed to date is wide spaced, so the extent and the controls on the mineralisation are still to be defined. The results are highly encouraging as it confirms the potential of discovering new zones of mineralisation underneath the post mineralisation cover.
