Rumble Resources Limited (ASX: RTR) (“Rumble” or “the Company”) is pleased to announce the discovery of high- grade tungsten from diamond core drilling at the Western Queen South deposit. Systematic pXRF analysis of drill hole WQDD013 led to ultraviolet scanning which highlighted very significant zones of scheelite. Wet analysis of the main visible scheelite zone has confirmed the discovery as very high-grade tungsten skarn style mineralisation.
Highlights
- Recent diamond drilling has discovered exceptionally high-grade tungsten (scheelite) mineralisation within the Western Queen gold system
- Drill-hole WQDD013 returned:
- 4m @ 4.58% WO3, 0.72 g/t Au from 174.85m; including
- 2.05m @ 8.71% WO3, 1.38 g/t Au from 176.85m; and
- 0.65m @ 18.35% WO3, 2.97 g/t Au from 176.85m
- Strong continuous tungsten anomaly outlined over 2km from drillhole XRF data parallels the Western Queen Shear and known high-grade gold mineralisation
- Tungsten occurs at surface between the Western Queen South and Western Queen Central open pits with widths up to 20 metres
- Follow up wet assays for tungsten of selected pulps from RC drilling which formed part of the 2021 mineral resource estimate at Western Queen have been submitted and will be reported when available
- Tungsten is considered a critical and strategic material in world economies due to its economic importance, supply risk and limited substitution options
In addition to the assaying, ultraviolet scanning of the diamond core from WQDD013 has highlighted scheelite within altered mafic. The mineralisation is essentially scheelite-pyroxene +/- magnetite+/-gold skarn zones 2.1Mt @ 2.42 g/t Au for 163,200oz 1
Figure 1 shows the white-blue fluorescence characteristic of scheelite under ultraviolet light. Mineralisation comprises of massive aggregates of white (visible light) grains (up to 5mm) of scheelite paralleling the dominant foliation within the shear zone.
Figure 1 – WQDD013 (0.65m @ 18.35 WO3) scheelite intersection under UV light*Analysis by pXRF is indicative and may not represent the true grade of tungsten
Of great significance is the subsequent review of all of the pXRF data routinely collected by Rumble which has shown tungsten is widespread within the Western Queen gold mineralising system.
Peter Harold, Managing Director and CEO commented“the discovery of the very high-grade tungsten at Western Queen is an unexpected bonus for us from the recent drilling which was targeting extensions to the high-grade gold lodes. While it is very early days the grades of the intersections are exceptional and well above the grades of other tungsten resources globally. We are now waiting with trepidation for the results from the 2021 drill pulps. This discovery shows the huge optionality of the Rumble tenements and the ability of our highly experienced exploration team to make new discoveries.”
Western Queen Tungsten Discovery
Tungsten mineralisation within drill hole WQDD013 (refer to Table 1) returned a spectacular intersection that included:
- 4.05m @ 4.58% WO3, 0.72 g/t Au from 174.85m; including
- 2.05m @ 8.71% WO3, 1.38 g/t Au from 176.85m; including
- 0.65m @ 18.35% WO3, 2.97 g/t Au from 176.85m.
Mineralisation contains large aggregates of scheelite grains (up to 5mm) occurring parallel to the main foliation trend. The mineralisation is essentially multiple scheelite-pyroxene (tremolite)+/-magnetite+/-gold exoskarn zones associated with the Western Queen orogenic shear zone (host to gold mineralisation) within dominant Archaean mafic amphibolite lithologies. The skarn development is thought to have been a later stage to the main gold event at Western Queen.
All previous drill holes completed by Rumble as part of the 2021 Western Queen gold resource estimate (2.1Mt @ 2.42 g/t Au for 163,200oz*) have subsequently been analysed for tungsten (W) by pXRF. Review of the pXRF analytical data has shown some 87 reverse circulation (RC) and diamond drill (DD) holes completed by Rumble have reported >500ppm W. Analytical results from pXRF analysers are indicative and may not reflect the true tungsten (W) grade.
Contouring of the pXRF tungsten (W) drill hole results has highlighted the following (refer to Figure 3):
- Very strong tungsten continuity over 2km (>100ppm W contour) with the same strike direction, orientation and position as the Western Queen Shear Zone which hosts the Western Queen gold deposits; and
- Between the Western Queen Central and Western Queen South open pits, the tenor of tungsten increases significantly with some 900m of strike >1000ppm W.
Additionally, a number of drill holes were strongly anomalous in tungsten (W) near surface within oxidised material
Next Steps
Re-assaying of select pulps from the previous Rumble gold resource drilling programs based on the pXRF tungsten analyses is underway to ascertain the spatial variability and tenor of the scheelite mineralisation. Up to 250 pulps from selected RC and diamond holes drilled by Rumble will initially be collected and submitted for wet analysis utilising complete digest through fusion XRF.
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