DHEM Results Signal Exploration Upside but Drilling Confirmation Still Needed
Torque Metals has confirmed multiple downhole electromagnetic (DHEM) conductors at its Paris Gold Project, pointing to significant extensions of high-grade gold mineralisation beyond the current resource estimate. This breakthrough highlights substantial exploration upside within a prolific Western Australian gold belt.
- Multiple DHEM conductors identified adjacent to and within known high-grade gold zones
- DHEM plates indicate potential extensions beyond current 250koz Mineral Resource Estimate
- Gold mineralisation closely linked to sulphide minerals, enhancing DHEM targeting effectiveness
- Follow-up drilling planned to test new targets along 4km mineralised corridor
- Metallurgical testwork confirms high gold recoveries supporting conventional processing
Exploration Breakthrough at Paris Gold Project
Torque Metals Limited (ASX: TOR) has announced compelling results from its recent downhole electromagnetic (DHEM) surveys at the Paris Gold Project in Western Australia’s prolific Goldfields region. The surveys have identified multiple conductive plates that correspond with, and extend beyond, known high-grade gold mineralisation zones, suggesting a larger contiguous gold system at depth than previously delineated.
The Paris Gold Project, strategically located near major producers such as Westgold’s Beta Hunt and St Ives Goldfields, currently holds a Mineral Resource Estimate (MRE) of approximately 250,000 ounces of gold at an average grade of 3.1 g/t. However, the new DHEM data points to significant potential for resource growth along a 4-kilometre strike within a broader 57-kilometre greenstone belt largely unexplored by electromagnetic methods.
DHEM: A Game-Changer for Targeting Gold Mineralisation
Gold at Paris is closely associated with sulphide minerals, primarily pyrrhotite, pyrite, and chalcopyrite, which exhibit strong electromagnetic conductivity. This mineralogical relationship makes DHEM an especially reliable exploration technique for vectoring into gold-bearing structures. Torque’s Managing Director, Cristian Moreno, emphasised the value of this approach, noting that the surveys have successfully detected multiple conductive plates both coincident with and adjacent to known mineralised zones.
Two key conductor plates, dubbed Plate 1 and Plate 2, have been modelled from data collected in multiple drill holes. Plate 1 extends approximately 200 metres along strike and 30 metres wide, interpreted as a downdip extension of high-grade zones with historic intercepts such as 16.3 metres at 7.95 g/t Au. Plate 2, about 100 metres in strike length and 35 metres wide, lies beyond the current MRE and aligns with recent high-grade drill results including 15 metres at 12 g/t Au.
Conservative Modelling and Next Steps
While DHEM modelling inherently involves uncertainties due to factors like skin depth effects and complex conductivity responses, Torque has adopted a conservative approach to ensure reliability. The company plans systematic follow-up drilling to test these conductor plates and further DHEM surveys to refine targets. These efforts aim to convert geophysical anomalies into defined mineral resources, potentially expanding the current inventory significantly.
Supporting Metallurgical Confidence
Complementing the geophysical advances, metallurgical testwork conducted by Independent Metallurgical Operations Pty Ltd has confirmed that gold from the Paris Project is free milling with high recoveries, ranging from 90.9% to 99.7%, and amenable to conventional gravity and carbon-in-leach (CIL) processing. Low reagent consumption and strong gravity recoveries further enhance the project’s economic prospects.
Regional Potential and Strategic Positioning
Beyond the immediate resource growth potential, the Paris Gold Project’s location within a 350 km² greenstone belt with a 57 km strike length offers a substantial regional exploration opportunity. To date, only a fraction of this corridor has been systematically explored with modern techniques. Torque’s integrated approach combining advanced geophysics, targeted drilling, and metallurgical validation positions the company well to unlock further value in this underexplored yet highly prospective terrain.
Bottom Line?
Torque Metals’ methodical exploration using DHEM is poised to unlock significant new gold resources at Paris, setting the stage for a transformative growth phase.
Questions in the middle?
- How will upcoming drilling results validate the DHEM-identified conductor plates?
- What timeline can investors expect for updated resource estimates incorporating new data?
- Could the sulphide-associated gold mineralisation style at Paris enable scalable, low-cost extraction?