Patronus Resources (ASX: PTN) has identified multiple new anomalies and high-priority targets at its Cardinia Project near Leonora, Western Australia, reinforcing its potential for Volcanogenic Massive Sulphide (VMS) mineralisation.
The company recently completed an extensive exploration program, which included Induced Polarisation (IP) geophysical surveys, geochemical sampling, reverse circulation (RC) drilling, and Down-Hole Electro-Magnetic (DHEM) surveys. These efforts have highlighted several prospective zones containing zinc and copper mineralisation.
A 30-line-kilometre IP survey identified strong chargeability anomalies that correlate with VMS-style rock chips found along mapped chert horizons. The survey results helped guide a 31-hole, 4,852m RC drilling program, which targeted key anomalies.
Significant drill results
Key intercepts from the RC drill program include:
- VMS24RC018 (Pegasus Prospect): 8m @ 2,013ppm Zn, 366ppm Cu, 1.74ppm Ag, 0.19ppm Au from 79m
- VMS24RC022 (Eagle Prospect): 4m @ 2,643ppm Zn, 92.13ppm Cu, 0.41ppm Ag, 0.03ppm Au from 86m
Additionally, a DHEM survey was conducted on 14 of the RC holes, identifying several conductive plates at the Pegasus and Eagle prospects, which are considered high-priority follow-up targets.
Next steps
Patronus Resources is planning further work to refine its understanding of the Cardinia Project’s VMS potential, including:
- Selective rare earth element (REE) analysis of key lithologies
- Hyperspectral analysis to identify altered zones indicative of VMS mineralisation
- Extended chert rock chip sampling across favourable horizons
- Sentinel-2 remote imagery processing to enhance target delineation
- Additional geophysical surveys, including airborne VTEM and ground-based MLEM
- Follow-up RC drilling to test the highest-priority conductive plates at the Pegasus and Eagle prospects
Patronus Resources’ Managing Director, John Ingram, stated that the company remains encouraged by the emerging VMS potential at Cardinia and is committed to advancing exploration in the coming quarter.
The company plans to conduct further drilling in the June quarter to assess deeper extensions of these mineralised systems.
