Sunrise Resources plc’s partner has started of resource definition drilling at the Pioche sepiolite project in Lincoln County, Nevada, USA.
OPEN PIT
Spanish subsidiary Tolsa USA Inc’s provisional 24-drillhole programme involves drilling by a truck-mounted auger drill to planned average depth of 50ft.
Sunrise said that shallow drilling reflected the surface and near surface position of mapped and trenched sub-horizontal sepiolite beds, amenable to open pit mining.
The drilling programme follows sample testwork from trenching at the site.
“Expectations are high, given the success of previous mapping and trenching carried out by Tolsa,” added executive chairman Patrick Cheetham.
“Commercial deposits of sepiolite are rare, and any development of the Pioche deposit will benefit from its proximity to both road and rail as high-value sepiolite clays are traded on a global basis.”
Tolsa has the option to purchase the Pioche project for US$1.25 million no later than 28 December 2023.