Maronan drilling broadens high-grade silver-lead picture
Maronan Metals has reported broad and high-grade silver-lead intersections from its ongoing 40,000-metre infill program, including 11 metres at 10.3% lead and 116g/t silver. More than 15,000 metres have now been completed, with results feeding a planned 2027 resource update and pre-feasibility study.
- 11.0m at 10.3% lead and 116g/t silver in MRN26013
- 6.8m at 7.1% lead, 211g/t silver and 0.9% zinc in MRN26015
- 2.0m at 4.2% lead and 533g/t silver in MRN26013
- More than 15,000m completed from a planned 40,000m
- Third drill rig delayed until at least October
Broad high-grade hits strengthen the infill picture
Maronan Metals Limited (ASX:MMA) has produced another set of strong silver-lead intersections at its Maronan Underground Project in northwest Queensland, with the most substantial result coming from MRN26013: 11.0 metres at 10.3% lead and 116g/t silver, including 4.1 metres at 17.0% lead and 220g/t silver.
The result was returned from the Western Horizon, one of two sub-parallel silver-lead zones being tested through the company’s infill campaign. The same hole also intersected 2.0 metres at 4.2% lead and 533g/t silver in the Eastern Horizon, underlining the polymetallic deposit’s ability to deliver high-grade intervals across both mineralised positions.
Results span the Starter Zone and northern deposit
Other notable assays included 6.8 metres at 7.1% lead, 211g/t silver and 0.9% zinc in MRN26015, alongside a narrower 1.9-metre interval grading 22.4% lead and 100g/t silver. MRN26007 returned 2.8 metres at 14.4% lead and 108g/t silver, while MRN26012 delivered 7.2 metres at 6.8% lead and 70g/t silver.
Several results came from areas classified as Inferred mineral resource, including drilling in the Starter Zone and the northern end of the deposit. The stated purpose is to tighten drill spacing and improve confidence in the geological model, rather than to establish a new resource in this announcement. Some intervals are oxidised or include core loss; the company says certain oxidised silver-lead mineralisation is not currently recoverable.
15,000 metres completed ahead of resource update
Maronan says more than 15,000 metres of its planned 40,000-metre program has been completed. The results are intended to support a resource update planned for 2027 and a pre-feasibility study, with the managing director describing the orebody as behaving predictably as drill spacing closes.
Two rigs remain active. One has moved to the northern end to test the North Fold hinge area, while the other is working in the central deposit on Copper Zone and Eastern Horizon targets. A third rig has been delayed until at least October because of strong Australia-wide demand for drill rigs, although Maronan says the two rigs already on site have exceeded planned performance over the past three months.
Pending assays leave the next read-through open
The company has disclosed assays for 13 holes, while several further holes remain listed as awaiting results. The Eastern and Western Horizon silver-lead domains remain open down plunge, and the Copper-Gold resource also requires further infill drilling to convert Inferred material towards the Indicated category.
That leaves the next stage fairly clear: more assays, continued drilling and the resource update will determine whether these encouraging intercepts translate into higher-confidence tonnes. Until then, the headline grades are useful evidence of continuity, but not yet an economic conclusion.
Bottom Line?
The drilling is adding confidence across Maronan’s two silver-lead horizons, but the investment case still turns on resource conversion, metallurgy and the eventual pre-feasibility study.
Questions in the middle?
- How much Inferred mineralisation can the infill program convert into the Indicated category?
- Will the pending assays confirm continuity beyond the strongest reported intercepts?
- How will oxidation, core loss and recovery assumptions affect the material included in the next resource update?
