Hurricane Project Gold Assays Reach 4.39 g/t Ahead of Maiden Drilling
Inca Minerals is poised to launch its maiden drilling campaign at the Hurricane Project in Queensland, following promising surface gold assays that reveal a broader mineralised footprint than previously known.
- Land access agreements secured and cultural heritage survey imminent
- Maiden reverse circulation drilling planned across four key prospects
- Rock chip assays up to 4.39 g/t gold highlight expanded quartz stockwork zones
- Bouncer Prospect shows mineralised surface footprint exceeding 70 metres
- Project situated in historically productive Hodgkinson Goldfield with orogenic gold potential
Strategic Progress at Hurricane Project
Inca Minerals Limited (ASX – ICG) has taken significant strides toward commencing its inaugural reverse circulation (RC) drilling program at the Hurricane Project, located approximately 125 kilometres northwest of Cairns in Queensland. The company has finalized land access agreements with local stakeholders and scheduled a cultural heritage survey, key prerequisites for the upcoming exploration phase.
This groundwork sets the stage for testing multiple gold-bearing quartz stockwork zones and high-grade lode structures across four prospects – Hurricane, Bouncer, Holmes, and Tornado. A drill rig has been provisionally secured, enabling rapid mobilisation once final approvals are granted.
Expanding the Known Gold Footprint
Recent reconnaissance work uncovered multiple previously unrecorded zones of outcropping quartz stockwork veining adjacent to historic antimony-gold lodes. Rock chip sampling from these zones returned encouraging gold assays, with values reaching as high as 4.39 grams per tonne (g/t) Au. Notably, at the Bouncer Prospect, integration of new assay data with historical records reveals a mineralised surface footprint exceeding 70 metres in width, suggesting a more extensive orogenic gold system than earlier understood.
The presence of early-stage gold stockworks predating the main gold-antimony mineralisation phase aligns with regional geological models for the Hodgkinson Province. This multiphase orogenic system is comparable to other globally significant deposits, indicating potential for both discrete high-grade shoots and broader mineralised zones.
Historical Context and Future Potential
The Hurricane Project sits within the Hodgkinson Goldfield, a historically productive but underexplored district that yielded approximately 9.7 tonnes of gold at an average grade of 37 g/t between 1875 and 1924. Past mining focused on rich ore shoots with cut-off grades around 15 g/t Au, leaving large areas untested by modern exploration techniques.
Inca Minerals’ current exploration strategy leverages this historical context alongside new geological insights to unlock the project's full potential. The upcoming drilling campaign aims to delineate the lateral and vertical extent of mineralisation, providing critical data to evaluate the scale and grade continuity of the gold systems.
Next Steps and Market Implications
With land access secured and heritage surveys imminent, Inca Minerals is well-positioned to commence drilling shortly. The results of this maiden RC program will be pivotal in confirming the extent of mineralisation and guiding subsequent exploration phases. Investors and analysts will be watching closely for drilling outcomes that could validate the project's promise and potentially reshape the valuation of Inca Minerals’ asset portfolio.
Bottom Line?
As Inca Minerals prepares to drill, the Hurricane Project stands at a crossroads between historical legacy and modern exploration promise.
Questions in the middle?
- Will drilling confirm the continuity and grade of the newly identified quartz stockwork zones?
- How might the integration of gold and antimony mineralisation influence future resource estimates?
- What timelines and milestones will Inca set for reporting drilling results and advancing the project?