WHITE Cliff Minerals will use the assay results from its 2017 drilling program at the Aucu Gold Project in the Kyrgyz Republic to update a resource estimate. The company is 3D modelling the mineralisation in order to prepare the estimate.

The Aucu Gold Project is in the northwest of the Kyrgyz Republic.

In April 2017, White Cliff revealed an inferred resource of 1.8 million tonnes grading 5.2 g/t gold for 302,000 ounces of contained gold for the Aucu deposit. Within this is a high grade zone, Quartz Zone, which contains 244,000 tonnes @ 9.5 g/t for 75,000 ounces.

Further drilling at the Quartz Zone in the December quarter intersected significant gold and copper mineralisation including 10.6 metres @ 1.5 g/t gold and 0.6% copper. Within this interval the central part of the zone contained 1.6 metres @ 3.9 g/t gold and 0.8% copper and 4 metres @ 1.8 g/t gold and 1% copper.

This intersection confirms the extension of the zone at depth over 100 metres below a previous intersection of 8 metres @ 55 g/t.

In addition a hole intersected 3 metres @ 3 g/t gold and 0.22% copper from 194 metres below the central part of the zone. This hole is 100 metres below a previous intersection of 12 metres @ 15.6 g/t. Mineralisation remains open at depth.

Drilling at the northwest end of the Quartz Zone has identified more gold and copper mineralisation. One hole intersected 10.6 metres @ 1.5 g/t gold and 0.61% copper from 215 metres, including higher grade intervals of 4 metres @ 1.8 g/t gold and 1% copper, and 1.6 metres @ 3.9 g/t gold and 0.8% copper.

Another hole has intersected 3 metres @ 3 g/t gold and 0.22% copper from 194 metres below the central part of the Quartz Zone. Mineralisation remains open at depth.

Five holes completed in the copper porphyry zone intersected broad zones of low grade copper mineralisation. These included 41 metres @ 0.55% copper including 16 metres @ 0.86% copper; 25 metres @ 0.45% copper including 2 metres @ 1.1 % copper; and 34 metres @ 0.41% copper with some single metre grades of up to 1.25% copper.

Copper mineralisation identified to date is considered to be proximal to the centre of the porphyry system.