Far East Gold Uncovers Bonanza-Grade Visible Gold at Idenburg’s Sua Prospect
Far East Gold’s latest drill results at the Sua Prospect in Indonesia reveal spectacular visible gold and high-grade assays, validating historical data and boosting resource potential.
- Visible coarse gold intersected in drill hole KSD023
- High-grade assays up to 180 g/t Au over 0.4m confirmed
- Historical drill results validated by twin hole program
- Inferred JORC resource at Sua stands at 296,000 oz at 3.7 g/t Au
- Ongoing drilling aims to expand and upgrade resource confidence
Visible Gold and High-Grade Assays Confirmed
Far East Gold Limited (ASX – FEG) has announced compelling results from its recent drilling campaign at the Sua Prospect, part of the Idenburg Gold Project in Papua Province, Indonesia. The highlight is drill hole KSD023, which intersected coarse visible gold within quartz veins near the surface, including an exceptional assay of 82 g/t gold over 0.4 meters. This discovery not only confirms the presence of bonanza-grade gold but also validates historical drilling data from a nearby twin hole, KSD002.
Validating Historical Data and Geological Models
The twin-hole approach was designed to confirm previous assay results and geological interpretations. KSD023’s results closely match those of KSD002, which returned 11 g/t gold over 11 meters, including a high-grade interval of 52.5 g/t over 1.6 meters. Notably, visible gold was observed in KSD023 but not in KSD002, suggesting that further drilling in undrilled parts of the Sua vein system could reveal additional rich gold concentrations. The mineralisation occurs within a complex system of stacked milky quartz and sulphide veins, with over 30 individual gold-bearing veins identified.
Resource Potential and Metallurgical Outlook
The Sua Prospect currently hosts an inferred JORC mineral resource estimated at approximately 296,000 ounces of gold at an average grade of 3.7 g/t. These new results support the potential to expand this resource both laterally and at depth. Preliminary metallurgical testing indicates that 50-60% of the gold can be recovered by gravity methods, with overall recoveries exceeding 90% using standard cyanide-in-leach or resin-in-leach processes. This bodes well for the economic extraction of the mineralisation.
Expanding Exploration and Future Drilling
The current drill program at Sua involves 10 diamond drill holes designed to infill and extend known mineralised zones. The program aims to reduce drill spacing from 100 meters to 50 meters, enhancing confidence in resource continuity. Concurrently, Far East Gold has initiated detailed mapping and sampling at the nearby Kwaplu Prospect, located about one kilometer west of Sua. Historical surface samples at Kwaplu have returned assays exceeding 100 g/t gold, but no drilling has yet been conducted there, presenting a promising new exploration frontier.
Strategic Significance for Far East Gold
CEO Shane Menere emphasises that confirming visible, bonanza-grade gold at Sua is a major milestone for unlocking the full potential of the Idenburg Project. The presence of coarse gold enhances the project’s development prospects, and ongoing drilling will seek to delineate the extent and continuity of these high-grade zones. This announcement reinforces Far East Gold’s position as a significant player in the Indonesian gold exploration landscape.
Bottom Line?
Far East Gold’s visible gold discovery at Sua sets the stage for resource growth and deeper exploration insights.
Questions in the middle?
- How will ongoing drilling refine the size and grade of the Sua resource?
- What are the implications of visible gold for future mining and processing costs?
- Can the promising Kwaplu Prospect deliver a new high-grade discovery?
