Silver intersections and the observation of native silver mineralisation have continued to support the prospectivity of Investigator Resources’ Paris project area in South Australia.
Final assays from a recent 2166 metre drilling program at the Apollo prospect, located 4 kilometres northwest of the Paris project, have confirmed a shallow epithermal-type environment with multi-phase metal-bearing fluids and improved the company’s knowledge and understanding of local stratigraphy.
Best results were 3m at 34 grams per tonne silver from 189m; and 3m at 10g/t silver, 9m at 0.34% lead and 12m at 0.29% zinc from 72m.
Regional target models
Managing director Andrew McIlwain said the Apollo assays would assist the development of regional exploration target models.
“Petrological results continue to confirm epithermal alteration and evidence of metal-bearing fluids particularly the observed native silver, which is similar to what we saw in petrological samples from last year’s drilling at Apollo,” he said.
“There is plenty of untested ground at Paris, particularly the structurally-complex area to the northwest where lower Gawler Range Volcanics are interpreted to overlay the dolomite basement, providing an environment for metal accumulation.”
Prospective structural corridor
Apollo sits within a prospective structural corridor identified by gravity and magnetic features.
Initial scout drilling targeted an interpreted north-east structural lineament parallel to the main dykes associated with the Paris deposit.
Prior drilling along the interpreted primary Apollo structure intersected high-grade vein hosted intermediate sulphidation mineralisation, with assays returning a bonanza 8m at 1262g/t silver from 149m, including 3m at 3167g/t from 150m and 1m at 6530g/t silver from 152m.
Petrological analysis in 2022 identified mineralisation associated with crustiform-colloform, quartz-adularia-silver with base metal veins transitioning to barren quartz-adularia-rhodochrosite veins at depth.
Mr McIlwain said the mineralogy and texture of the veins was common in prospective shallow epithermal environments.
Paris resource estimate
The shallow Paris deposit has a mineral resource estimate of 18.8 million tonnes at 88g/t silver and 0.52% lead for 53.1 million ounces silver and 97,600 tonnes lead.
It is located 70km north of the rural township of Kimba along South Australia’s Eyre Peninsula and is reported to be amenable to open pit mining.
Mr McIlwain said the project provides Investigator with “considerable exposure” to a metal which currently has strong commodity, renewable energy and manufacturing and investment demand.
