Xanadu Mines Ltd (ASX:XAM) has discovered a new copper porphyry centre at its Kharmagtai Copper-Gold Project in Mongolia’s South Gobi region which hosts the large Oyu Tolgoi project.

A hole targeting a buried porphyry system has encountered some 600 metres of porphyry-style mineralisation at the target, which has been named Zaraa.

This hole is at a depth of 1,200 metres and remains in mineralisation with visible copper-bearing sulphides.

The top 770 metres of the hole returned 316 metres at 0.32% copper and 0.27 g/t gold from 458 metres.

Within this intersection were 217 metres from 557 metres at 0.4% copper and 0.33 g/t gold, and 108 metres from 645 metres at 0.47% copper and 0.42 g/t gold.

Executive director and chief executive officer Andrew Stewart said “We have started 2018 with very strong exploration results.

“Significant high-grade extensions have been added to the existing resources and our ever-improving understanding of the undercover geology at Kharmagtai has resulted in several new discoveries.

19 large-scale porphyry targets
“We have now tested eight of the 19 large-scale porphyry targets recently identified and five have produced significant intervals of porphyry alteration and mineralisation.

“Zaraa represents the latest target tested and we are extremely excited by the first diamond drill results.

“It is a new porphyry centre and early indications are the system has the grade and scale to represent a significant new discovery.”

Zaraa near Sandstorm target
Zaraa is 500 metres south of the Sandstorm target and 1 kilometre west of Golden Eagle.

Final results from the Zaraa drilling are expected in the next couple of weeks.

The company believes the hole indicates the system is increasing in size and grade towards the southwest.

Three follow-up holes are planned to test this new system along strike, targeting higher grades and broader widths in addition to expanding shallow high-grade mineralisation.

Ground magnetic data and location of reported drilling at Kharmagtai.

Broad zones of tourmaline breccia
At Sandstorm, drilling has returned a broad zone of sulphide-bearing tourmaline breccia mineralisation.

This is about 1.2km along strike from the mineralised breccia system at Stockwork Hill.

One hole intersected more than 100 metres of tourmaline breccia which is interpreted to be the strike extension of Stockwork Hill.

Assay results are expected in early May with follow-up drilling underway.

Epithermal gold intersections
At the Zephyr target, multiple high-grade epithermal gold intersections were returned while drilling porphyry targets.

Results include 2 metres at 4.4 g/t gold from 238 metres and 8.5 metres at 3.4 g/t from 297.5 metres, including 2 metres at 10.7 g/t from 300 metres.

Xanadu’s drilling at White Hill West target continues to expand the system with the best result being 785.9 metres at 0.21% copper and 0.12 g/t gold from 2 metres.

A reverse circulation program is underway to establish whether White Hill West links with the White Hill target 2 kilometres away.

Four rigs drilling
Stewart said: “Our strategy is clear: the best way to add tonnes and grade to the existing resources is by discovering additional high-grade deposits within the Kharmagtai licence area.

“With four rigs drilling around the clock we are delivering on this strategy and the discovery of Zaraa reinforces the amazing exploration potential of the Kharmagtai porphyry district.”

Drilling will start in early May at the Red Mountain project east of Kharmagtai targeting large-scale porphyries and epithermal gold.

Published Date:2018-04-19