Pacific Resources has reported promising gold assay results from channel sampling at its Sulphide Creek project in Tasmania, highlighting structurally controlled mineralisation with peak grades exceeding 2 g/t Au and strong pathfinder element correlations.
- Peak gold grades of 2.41 g/t and 2.30 g/t Au from 12 continuous channel samples
- Mineralisation extends over a ~12m strike associated with a west-dipping fault
- Strong positive correlation between gold, arsenic, and antimony pathfinder elements
- Elevated copper values suggest complex mineralisation controls
- Results to inform 3D geological modelling and maiden diamond drilling plans
Gold Mineralisation Confirmed at Coupon Prospect
Pacific Resources Limited (ASX:PXR) has unveiled encouraging assay results from a focused channel sampling program at its Sulphide Creek Gold-Antimony Project in Tasmania’s Queenstown district. Twelve continuous one-metre channel samples taken from a previously unrecorded underground adit at the Coupon Prospect returned peak gold grades of 2.41 g/t and 2.30 g/t Au, confirming a coherent mineralised zone extending roughly 12 metres along strike.
The mineralisation is structurally controlled, spatially linked to a shallow west-dipping fault and associated quartz veinlets, which aligns with Pacific Resources’ evolving exploration model. This structural control is reinforced by a strong positive correlation between gold and pathfinder elements arsenic (up to 2,470 ppm) and antimony, marking them as robust geochemical indicators for the system.
Geochemical Insights and Structural Controls
Alongside gold, elevated copper levels were detected in multiple samples, suggesting potentially complex fluid or structural controls on metal distribution. The host rocks comprise Ordovician sandstones, siltstones, and shales of the Wurawina Supergroup, heavily altered with carbonate and oxidised veining. This alteration corridor exceeds 0.5 km in width, hinting at a significant geological system.
These findings validate the company’s reconnaissance mapping and historical data reinterpretation, which identified a NW-SE trending mineralised zone with a shallow plunge. The sampling program’s systematic approach, including field duplicates and rigorous quality control, supports the reliability of these early-stage exploration results.
Advancing Towards Drilling and Geophysical Surveys
Pacific Resources intends to integrate these assay results with underground geological mapping and historical drilling data into a 3D geological and structural model. This will refine drill collar locations and orientations ahead of a planned maiden diamond drilling program targeting depth and lateral extensions of the mineralised zone.
Additionally, the company is assessing geophysical survey methods such as induced polarisation and magnetics to enhance targeting along the broader Sulphide Creek structural corridor. These surveys aim to vector in on further mineralisation and optimise future drill programs.
Pacific Resources CEO Andrew Fogg emphasised the significance of these results, stating they "reaffirm our commitment to the Coupon Prospect as a priority gold-copper target" and provide "another layer of validation to our exploration model." The company plans to share details of the upcoming drilling program in due course.
Historical Context and Exploration Potential
The Sulphide Creek area has a rich exploration history dating back over a century, with previous mining and drilling activities revealing gold and antimony mineralisation. Pacific Resources’ discovery of the unrecorded adit and the current sampling results add fresh momentum to the project’s potential.
While the current channel sampling represents a strike length of about 12 metres, true widths of mineralisation remain unquantified due to the sampling orientation. The company cautions that these early results are exploration-stage and require confirmation through drilling and further studies.
Bottom Line?
Pacific Resources’ assay results at Coupon Prospect provide a solid foundation for targeted drilling, but the true scale and economic viability of the mineralisation await confirmation from upcoming diamond core programs and geophysical surveys.
Questions in the middle?
- How will the planned diamond drilling refine the understanding of mineralisation continuity and grade at Coupon Prospect?
- To what extent can geophysical surveys enhance targeting along the broader Sulphide Creek corridor?
- What metallurgical and environmental factors might influence the development potential of this gold-antimony system?