Viking Mines has completed a cutting-edge drone survey at its Linka Tungsten Project, integrating 1970s data with modern technology to fast-track exploration and permitting.
- Completion of 2cm resolution orthomosaic drone imagery and detailed Digital Elevation Model
- Recovery and georeferencing of five 1970s survey points validating historical drilling data
- Visual confirmation of tungsten mineralisation and historical infrastructure
- Enhanced geological mapping and drill planning capabilities
- Strategic data supports streamlined permitting and potential environmental bond reductions
A New Era for Linka Tungsten Exploration
Viking Mines Limited (ASX – VKA) has taken a significant step forward at its Linka Tungsten Project in Nevada by completing an ultra-high-resolution drone survey. This survey, delivering imagery with an impressive 2cm pixel resolution alongside a detailed Digital Elevation Model (DEM), provides the spatial precision needed to unlock decades-old exploration data and accelerate the project’s development.
At the heart of this achievement is the successful identification of five original survey markers from the 1970s. These markers serve as critical spatial anchors, allowing Viking’s technical team to accurately georeference historical maps and drilling data. This process effectively transforms paper records into a precise 3D digital framework, validating the roughly $1 million replacement value of the historical drilling database recently acquired by the company.
Bridging Past and Present with Digital Innovation
The creation of a 'Digital Twin' of the Linka Project area represents a fusion of past and present exploration efforts. The high-resolution orthomosaic imagery not only confirms the presence of outcropping tungsten mineralisation but also visually identifies historical infrastructure such as shafts and drill collars. This clarity enables Viking to plan drillholes with greater accuracy and confidence, moving the project closer to meeting the rigorous JORC reporting standards required for resource definition.
Moreover, the DEM offers operational advantages beyond geological insights. It allows for accurate volume estimates of surface stockpiles, which could serve as early-stage processing feed, and provides detailed topographical data essential for infrastructure planning. Importantly, the survey establishes a high-fidelity environmental baseline, which Viking anticipates will reduce environmental bond requirements and expedite regulatory approvals through the Notice of Intent process.
Next Steps and Broader Exploration Ambitions
With the drone survey complete, Viking is now digitising the historical exploration database, aligning maps to modern coordinate systems, and integrating assay data into a comprehensive drillhole database. This groundwork will underpin 3D geological modelling and targeted drilling campaigns.
Parallel activities include ongoing metallurgical testwork on high-grade tungsten samples, with results expected shortly, and planning for geophysical surveys aimed at identifying new drill targets. Viking is also evaluating additional tungsten projects within its portfolio, signalling a broader strategic push in this critical industrial metal sector.
Managing Director Julian Woodcock emphasised the transformative impact of the survey – "We are no longer working with estimates; we now have a centimetre-perfect map to guide our drilling and development programs." This milestone positions Viking Mines to unlock the full potential of Linka’s historical data and accelerate its path toward resource delineation and eventual production.
Bottom Line?
Viking’s integration of cutting-edge drone technology with vintage data sets a new benchmark for efficient, precise tungsten exploration.
Questions in the middle?
- When will Viking announce results from the ongoing metallurgical testwork and how might they impact project economics?
- What timeline is expected for regulatory approvals following the submission of the Notice of Intent?
- How will upcoming geophysical surveys influence drill targeting and resource expansion at Linka?