Tesoro Gold Limited has expanded the El Zorro Gold Project’s known gold corridor by 10 kilometres following a high-resolution helicopter survey and soil sampling, revealing multiple new drill targets across a 40km structural corridor in Chile.
- Completion of detailed helicopter magnetic and radiometric survey over entire El Zorro concession
- Discovery of a >40km north-south structural corridor linked to gold anomalism
- Identification of new intrusive bodies and tonalite dyke systems enhancing exploration potential
- Soil sampling at La Brea, Drone Hill, and Pena Blanca confirms strong gold anomalism
- Ternera infill drilling on track with plans to accelerate district-scale drilling
Expanding the Gold Frontier
Tesoro Gold Limited has announced a significant advancement in its exploration efforts at the El Zorro Gold Project in Chile, unveiling new high-priority targets that extend the known gold corridor by an additional 10 kilometres. This expansion follows the completion of a comprehensive helicopter-borne magnetic and radiometric survey covering the entire concession area, which spans approximately 610 square kilometres.
The survey, conducted by New-Sense Geophysics Limited, employed cutting-edge technology to capture detailed geophysical data, revealing a structural corridor exceeding 40 kilometres in length. This corridor is closely associated with gold anomalism, suggesting the presence of mineralisation beyond previously defined limits. The identification of multiple new intrusive bodies and tonalite dyke systems further underscores the district’s exploration potential.
Validating Targets with Soil Sampling
Complementing the geophysical work, Tesoro completed systematic grid soil sampling at three key targets: La Brea, Drone Hill, and Pena Blanca. These programs collected 331 samples on a 50m by 50m grid, confirming strong gold anomalism coincident with arsenic and bismuth anomalies, hallmarks of the intrusive related gold system (IRGS) style mineralisation that characterises El Zorro.
Geochemical signatures also revealed potassic alteration systems similar to those observed at the Ternera Gold Deposit, reinforcing the prospectivity of these targets. The soil sampling results align well with mapped mineralised fault zones and favourable host rock types, validating the approach as an effective method for identifying new drill targets.
Progress at Ternera and Future Plans
While regional exploration accelerates, Tesoro remains on schedule to complete its current infill drilling program at the Ternera Gold Deposit within the next six to eight weeks. Ternera, which hosts an estimated 1.82 million ounces of gold, remains the cornerstone of the project’s development strategy.
Following the completion of infill drilling, the company plans to ramp up district-scale drilling across the newly defined targets, aiming to rapidly expand the pipeline of prospects within the El Zorro concession. Managing Director Zeff Reeves emphasised the rare opportunity to develop a district-scale gold camp in Chile’s Coastal Cordillera, a region known for world-class mineral deposits and robust mining infrastructure.
Strategic Implications
The integration of high-resolution geophysical data with systematic geochemical sampling marks a strategic step forward for Tesoro, enabling more precise targeting and de-risking of exploration efforts. The discovery of additional intrusive centres and structural trends could translate into significant resource growth, positioning El Zorro as a compelling asset in the global gold exploration landscape.
However, the company has yet to release updated resource estimates or production guidance, and the commercial viability of these new targets will depend on forthcoming drilling results and metallurgical assessments.
Bottom Line?
Tesoro’s expanded gold corridor and validated targets set the stage for a pivotal drilling campaign that could reshape the El Zorro project’s future.
Questions in the middle?
- How will upcoming drilling results at the new targets influence Tesoro’s resource estimates?
- What are the metallurgical characteristics of the newly identified intrusive bodies?
- How quickly can Tesoro scale up district-wide drilling following Ternera infill completion?