Exultant Mining has confirmed a high-grade silver system at the historic Big Badja Silver Mine, revealing a new geophysical anomaly open at depth that could signal a larger mineralised system.
- 339 g/t silver highest grade rock chip sample at Big Badja
- Trial Induced Polarisation survey detects chargeable anomaly beneath historic workings
- Anomaly remains open at depth, indicating potential extensions
- Located on a >15km granite-sediment contact with a 3km Pb-Zn soil anomaly nearby
- Follow-up exploration planned with expanded geophysics and targeting
Historic Silver Mine Revisited
Exultant Mining Limited (ASX:10X) has breathed new life into the long-dormant Big Badja Silver Mine, located within its Peak View Project in New South Wales. Despite the mine’s closure in 1890 and a lack of modern exploration, recent rock chip sampling has confirmed exceptionally high-grade silver mineralisation, with assays reaching 339 grams per tonne (g/t) silver, the highest recorded to date by the company.
This result builds on previous high-grade surface samples, reinforcing Big Badja’s reputation as a compelling silver-lead target. The historic mine, known for its quartz-galena-chalcopyrite veins, has never been drilled with modern techniques, leaving significant potential untested beneath and along strike of the shallow workings.
Modern Geophysics Reveals Open Target
Complementing the rock chip results, a trial Induced Polarisation (IP) geophysical survey has identified a coherent chargeability anomaly directly beneath the historic workings. This anomaly, which indicates the presence of sulphide mineralisation, remains open at depth, a promising sign that the mineralised system extends beyond the known mined zones.
Importantly, the IP survey demonstrates that the Big Badja system responds well to modern geophysical methods, providing Exultant with a clear and effective tool to target concealed extensions. This marks a significant advancement, as previous exploration lacked such focused geophysical targeting.
Regional Potential Along Granite-Sediment Contact
The Big Badja Silver Mine sits on a prospective granite-sediment contact stretching over 15 kilometres, a geological setting favourable for mineralisation. Nearby, a 3-kilometre-long lead-zinc soil anomaly has been identified, suggesting the possibility of additional 'Big Badja-style' mineral systems along this contact.
This regional context elevates the exploration potential of the Peak View Project, positioning Exultant to leverage its geophysical success at Big Badja to explore broader targets within the tenements.
Next Steps and Exploration Outlook
Exultant plans to expand its geophysical coverage with additional IP lines designed for greater depth penetration and to test strike extensions of the mineralised system. The company also intends to assess the suitability of IP surveying over the nearby Pb-Zn soil anomaly, potentially unlocking further discoveries.
Executive Chairman Brett Grosvenor highlighted the significance of these findings, noting that the combination of high-grade surface mineralisation and a geophysical anomaly open at depth provides a clear pathway for systematic follow-up exploration. The results suggest that Big Badja could host a larger, robust mineralised system than previously understood.
While the historic mine’s main shaft has collapsed and no modern drilling has yet been conducted, these developments set the stage for targeted drilling campaigns that could define a new silver-lead resource in this underexplored region.
Bottom Line?
Exultant’s confirmation of high-grade silver and an open geophysical target at Big Badja sets the stage for a potentially transformative exploration campaign.
Questions in the middle?
- Will follow-up drilling confirm the depth extensions suggested by the IP anomaly?
- How extensive is the mineralisation along the 15km granite-sediment contact?
- Could the nearby Pb-Zn soil anomaly reveal a second significant mineralised system?