Burns Deposit Hosts Nearly 500,000 Ounces as Lefroy Targets High-Grade Core
Lefroy Exploration has initiated diamond drilling at its Burns Gold Deposit, targeting the high-grade core to enhance metallurgical understanding and resource potential. This move follows promising earlier test results and sets the stage for further resource expansion.
- Diamond drilling commenced targeting Burns high-grade gold core
- Burns Deposit hosts nearly 500,000 ounces gold with a high-grade zone of 159,285 ounces
- Metallurgical testing aims to confirm and build on 2023 positive results
- Additional reverse circulation drilling planned for northern shallow resource extension
- Lefroy focuses on unlocking full exploration and resource potential at Burns
Diamond Drilling Targets High-Grade Core
Lefroy Exploration Limited (ASX, LEX) has commenced a diamond drilling program at its Burns Gold Deposit, located within the broader Lefroy Project in Western Australia. The drilling specifically targets the high-grade core of the Burns deposit, aiming to provide fresh core samples for metallurgical test work. This initiative builds on encouraging preliminary metallurgical results from 2023, which indicated strong gold recoveries and favourable processing characteristics.
Significant Resource Base with High-Grade Zones
The Burns Deposit currently holds a Mineral Resource Estimate (MRE) of approximately 43 million tonnes at 0.36 grams per tonne gold, equating to nearly 500,000 ounces. Within this, a notable high-grade zone contains over 4 million tonnes at 1.18 grams per tonne gold, representing around 159,000 ounces. Previous drilling has returned impressive intersections, such as 38 metres at 7.63 grams per tonne and 61 metres at 2.96 grams per tonne, underscoring the deposit’s potential.
Metallurgical Testing to Guide Development
The current diamond drilling program will provide core samples essential for detailed metallurgical testing. These tests are designed to confirm earlier findings that showed significant gravity recoverable gold averaging 41% and total leach recoveries near 97% under conventional processing methods. Such results suggest the ore is free-milling and well-suited to standard carbon-in-leach (CIL) processing circuits, which bodes well for potential future development.
Further Drilling to Extend Resource
Complementing the diamond drilling, Lefroy plans to commence a reverse circulation (RC) drilling program targeting the northern shallow extensions of the Burns resource later in November. This dual approach reflects the company’s commitment to fully delineate and expand the resource, enhancing the deposit’s economic viability and supporting its broader strategy within the Lefroy Project.
Strategic Position in a Premier Gold Region
Burns is strategically located about 70 kilometres southeast of Kalgoorlie, near established gold mining hubs such as the St Ives gold camp and operations by Gold Fields and Vault Minerals. Lefroy’s broader portfolio includes other promising deposits like Lucky Strike and Mt Martin, positioning the company well for advancing low-cost gold production through profit-share mining agreements and resource growth.
Bottom Line?
As Lefroy advances metallurgical studies and resource drilling at Burns, the coming assay results will be pivotal in shaping the deposit’s development trajectory and market valuation.
Questions in the middle?
- What will the new metallurgical test results reveal about gold recovery and processing costs?
- How much resource growth can the upcoming RC drilling program deliver at Burns?
- What timeline is Lefroy targeting for potential production decisions at Burns following these exploration activities?
