Alpha Exploration drills 2.25 g/t gold over 15 metres at Kerkasha, Eritrea
Alpha Exploration Ltd. [TSXV-ALEX] provided an update on its exploration programs across its 100%-owned, 771 km2 Kerkasha project located in Eritrea, Africa.
Highlights: Acceleration of exploration programs on three priority prospects across Kerkasha licence; 8,000-metre drill program more than half completed on Aburna gold prospect; third drill rig en route to accelerate drill target definition at Aburna; additional exploration drilling planned for Anagulu copper-gold prospect; and drill targeting under way at Tolegimja copper-zinc-gold VMS prospect.
Accelerated exploration under way: The current drill program at the Aburna gold prospect has reached approximately 5,000 metres of the 8,000 metres of reverse circulation (RC) and diamond drilling (DD) planned to test a number of high-priority targets and is expected to be completed within the next six weeks.
This drilling includes extending a high-grade feeder zone discovered earlier this year where Alpha intersected 18 metres at 15.33 g/t gold and 49.5 metres at 2.75 g/t gold from drill holes ABD012 and ABD013, respectively. In addition, a rotary air blast (RAB) rig is being mobilized to site to commence drilling in August this year, with 10,000 metres planned to accelerate discovery of further shallow, high-grade gold shoots within the main mineralized corridor defined to date. These planned work programs will enable Alpha to fast-track drill target definition at Aburna, which may include utilizing additional drills later in the year to fully define the primary mineralized lenses as part of a resource definition drilling program.
At the Anagulu gold-copper porphyry prospect and Tolegimja copper-zinc-gold VMS prospect, Alpha plans to drill up to 2,000 m and 1,000 m, respectively, over high-priority targets, as well as 10,000 metres of RAB drilling over both prospects in H2 2024.
Michael Hopley, president and CEO, commented: “I am very pleased to report that Alpha is now in a position to aggressively advance our three priority exploration prospects on the Kerkasha licence. Our focus for Aburna throughout the rest of 2024 will be to fully define the three km long mineralized corridor that links the three current targets at Hill 52, Central and Northeast areas. Simultaneously, the arrival of an RAB rig on site in Q3 this year this year will enable us to rapidly and cost-effectively generate and evaluate other priority drill targets over the larger 7.2 km by two km footprint of the Aburna prospect, which is defined by anomalous surface gold geochemistry and trenching.
“Furthermore, I am very pleased that we will be advancing exploration, including significant drilling, on the Anagulu and Tolegimja prospects. We will keep shareholders updated on progress in what is expected to be a busy exploration period for the company.”
Recent interpretation by Alpha has established that the three main target areas at Aburna; Hill 52, Central Area and Northeast Area likely comprise the same mineralized system creating an overall target up to 3km in length and separated by a major N-S regional fault that appears to have laterally offset mineralization. The current drill program will focus on fully defining this target, including drill testing the 300-metre Gap Zone between Hill 52 and Central Area.
Separately, the company plans to commence drilling with a RAB rig from Q3 this year. The rapid drilling of many shallow (less than 50m deep) drill holes by using a RAB rig will enable Alpha to rapidly and cost effectively test a number of priority targets, as well as testing the potential for further high-grade ‘shoots’ over the very large 7.2km x 2km Aburna footprint defined by anomalous surface gold geochemistry and trenching
Recent drilling completed by Alpha at Aburna includes assays received from five RC holes. Significantly, drill hole ABR124 that include 15 metres at 2.25 g/t gold, was drilled from the eastern end of the Gap Zone where drilling is currently ongoing. Many drillholes recently completed by the company are awaiting sample preparation at NABRO Laboratories (NABRO) in Asmara.
Alpha expects a delay of several weeks in receiving results from these holes due to upgrading of mechanical equipment at NABRO. With the anticipated acceleration in the company’s exploration programs, Alpha is currently looking at options to transport an additional, self-contained preparation facility to Asmara from ALS in the coming weeks.
In April 2024, Alpha engaged the services of Federico Cernuschi PhD., a world-renowned copper porphyry specialist, to undertake a detailed mapping program and data review of Anagulu. From this program, it was concluded that the main porphyry target at Anagulu probably exists directly along strike and SW of existing drilling on the project by Alpha that includes 108 metres at 1.24 g/t gold and 0.6% copper.
Five high priority drill targets have been recommended by Dr. Cernuschi and the planned drilling will test strike extensions of the quartz-eye diorite which is the host of the copper-gold mineralization at Anagulu.
Recent handheld XRF soil sampling at Tolegimja has established that an eastern limb of VMS mineralization likely exists and extends for up to 3km, potentially mirroring the existing 3km long western limb, and creating a folded VMS target up to 6km in length. The eastern limb also coincides with a major EM anomaly identified from work previously undertaken by Thani – Ashanti.
The company is currently undertaking further mapping and sampling at Tolegimja, including gossanous and exhalite targets typically associated with VMS deposits, with a view to commencing a 1,000-metre scout drilling program later in 2024.