Western Gold Exploration Ltd (WGE) plans geophysical surveys on the Lorne porphyry district in Argyll following completion of its 2023-2024 drilling campaign.
MINERALISATION
The programme revealed a new copper-gold prophyry centre at the Ardlochan target and extended porphyry mineralisation > 800m westwards at the Lagalochan prospect.
Both prospects lie on the Lorne Fault Zone and are situated 8km apart.
Specialist contractor Mineral Exploration Drilling Ltd used a small footprint drill rig for 11 shallow holes.
Eight holes targeted porphyry stockwork extensions and skarn mineralisation at the western margins of Lagalochan for a total 1,207m.
Three initial holes were also drilled on the outcropping porphyry mineralisation at Ardlochan, identified during recent sampling, for 221m.
WGE reported high-grade epithermal style gold veining in hole WGLD001 at Lagalochan 1.3m @ 20.8 g/t gold, from 109m and 1.0m @ 8.49 g/t gold, from 52m, with the veins remaining open along strike.
The company added that extensive vegetative cover and a “dearth” of modern exploration had led to lack of outcrop in the region with mineralisation possibly “significantly understated”.
WGE is now considering a magnetotelluric geophysical survey across 100km2 to refine and link existing targets as well as to identify new targets near surface and at depth.
The company could also carry out an induced polarisation and ground magnetic survey on Ardlochan to improve targeting the mineralisation intercepted in drilling and outlined by previous exploration.
Chairman Harry Dobson added: “The drilling at Ardlochan confirms there are multiple
porphyry centres on the property and we are now looking to utilise various geophysics tools to identify deeper drilling targets and additional porphyry areas to realise the potential for significant porphyry mineralisation in the Lorne district.”
WGE holds a 250km2 Crown Estate mineral exploration lease and exclusive land access and exploration agreements over a package of geologically prospective areas.