A diamond drilling program by Angkor Gold Corp has confirmed the existence of gold veins in faults at the Okalla West intrusive complex in Cambodia. The program of 439.2 metres is being conducted in cooperation with Blue River Resources with another 123 metres drilled at Okalla East prospect.
Drilling commenced on July 2, on Angkor’s Banlung tenement on which Okalla West and Okalla East are located. The prospects are approximately 7km apart and both are hosted by intrusive rock complexes connected along a regional structural corridor.
The modest phase 1 drilling program was conducted to determine the structure and type of mineralisation of the targets over a gold anomaly devoid of outcrop.
The nine holes at Okalla West contributed to the understanding of geology and structure, and demonstrated the existence of gold mineralised veins in faults. The drilling was designed to test surface gold anomalies from the pit and auger hole program completed earlier this year.
The best results were 1.65 metres from 45.35 metres @ 2.05 g/t gold and 4.55 g/t silver, and 0.75 metres from 39.6 metres @ 6.17 g/t gold and 8.2 g/t silver.
Petrographic work on rocks within the intrusive complex show them to be alkaline in nature indicating that gold mineralization is likely related to alkaline magmatism. One feature of this style of mineralisation is the low quartz content of the vein system. As predicted, the quartz veins encountered are not robust.
“Alkalic intrusive hosted gold deposits are rare when compared to other styles of intrusion hosted gold deposits but they can also be high grade and large,” said Angkor’s exploration manager Dennis Ouellette. “Petrographic and whole rock geochemistry work is required to determine the character of the late intrusive rocks as well as the chemistry of the gold transporting fluids.
“Okalla West drilling has revealed a strong tellurium- and bismuth-gold association, which is ideal for the transportation and deposition of gold suggesting the transporting fluids are alkaline in nature.”
The small portion of the anomaly tested by Angkor’s drill program will require additional surface exploration and drilling to fully test its potential. Only a very small portion of the 25sqkm intrusive complex has had follow-up work done on the initial sample survey completed in 2015.
A 1sqkm copper anomaly located 1km west of the area drilled during the phase 1 program will be examined with the purpose of developing new drill targets outside the area of the phase 1 program.
Angkor is exploring the Okalla East area as a porphyry copper gold molybdenum style occurrence. Best drill results were 10.0 metres from 26 metres @ 0.88 g/t gold and 0.14% copper, and 5 metres from 32 metres @ 0.31 g/t gold and 0.25% copper.
A compilation of all historical drilling in the vicinity of the 2017 drilling in conjunction with 3D modelling will assist in determining the location of any phase 2 drill holes on Okalla East.
Under an agreement with Angkor, Blue River Resources has the right to participate initially in up to a 50% interest of the Banlung exploration license from Angkor after the completion of a total investment of US$3.5 million in exploration expenditures over a four-year period.
Angkor Gold