Brisbane, Dec 20, 2007 AEST (ABN Newswire) - The Board of Republic Gold (ASX: RAU) today announces that it has received the third batch of analysis results from the recently completed drilling programme at the 75%-owned Burraga Copper Project that is located in mineral-rich Central New South Wales.
The results continue to confirm the potential for a large scale body of mineralisation at Burraga. These new analysis results are for part of drillholes RCR-002 and RCR-003. These analysis results continue to confirm the polymetallic nature of Burraga.
Managing Director of Republic Gold, Mr John Kelly said "These analysis results are the highest combined metal grades encountered in this drilling programme to-date and indicate that Burraga has the potential to host an economic body of polymetallic mineralisation. The positive results in RCR-003 mean that the mineralised structure that this hole is drilled on is now extended to 850 metres in length when the results of four other holes are taken into account."
These new results continue with the trend of all the drillholes being variously mineralised over nearly the entire lengths sampled.
The presence of intrusive porphyries was noted in the drillhole logs. The RC pre-collar of RCR-004 was drilled through mineralised porphyry and then the diamond tail of this hole has been drilled through the same porphyry unit and it is mineralised as well. This is strengthening the proposition that the mineralisation could be related to a larger, deeper seated, unroofed intrusive mineralising system at depth. Further analysis results are still awaited.
As noted above, Burraga is a large target. The main historic producing mine, the Lloyd's Mine, sits in the centre of the 4 kilometres of strike and was mined as a shoot over a down plunge length of approximately 550 metres. The high grade vein that was mined varied in width from 0.5 to 3 metres. This was contained within a lower grade zone up to 20 metres wide, defined by drilling in the 1980s and earlier. The results of the new drilling have significantly extended the dimensions of this lower grade zone, with low grade lead and zinc results particularly, extending right from the surface to the top of the old mine workings. The other main producer at Burraga was the Sprague's Mine, which now has one successful drillhole in it, and is located on the eastern limb of the syncline.
A total of 1,379 metres in 11 holes, comprising 787 metres of RC and 592 metres of diamond drilling was completed in the programme. Drilling intersections quoted are all downhole widths, which in general are targeted to intersect mineralised zones at angles of greater than 30*, that is, approaching perpendicular as far as practicable.
These results confirm that a Stage 2 drilling programme is to be planned following the receipt of all the remaining analysis results. This Stage 2 programme will see drillhole RCR-010 redrilled to reach its target depth of 300 metres. This hole was abandoned in the Stage 1 programme at 150 metres when it had deviated off target too far. The results to-date give the Company significant confidence to pursue this deeper target zone. The table below shows the details of the Burraga drilling programme to-date.
The Burraga exploration licence is owned in partnership with Republic's 25% joint venturer, Astor Consultants Pty Limited.
Contact
Greg Barns
TEL: +61-419-691-846
John Kelly
TEL: +61-418-577-759
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