Yagahong Project
Copper-Gold Mineralisation
The Yagahong project area is located 35km southeast of Meekatharra and approximately 20km northeast of Quinns. The tenement area comprises 160km2 and contains part of the Gabanintha shear system, a zone that is about 1km in width hosting at least two zones of copper-gold mineralisation.
Location of the Yagahong project area is shaded blue relative to SWN tenement map:
With the Yagahong project, Silver Swan has concentrated most of its activities at Copper Hills, a prospect that lies within the south-eastern portion of the project area and incorporates a number of small historical workings. Only limited historic reverse circulation and diamond drilling has been carried out along this zone of workings.
The company has mapped the geology of Copper Hills in detail. A recent phase of drilling in 2010 identified the presence of multiple zones of shear-hosted copper-gold mineralisation, including Lady Alma which lies to the east of Copper Hills. The shear zones occur within an ultramafic-mafic layered igneous complex within peridotite, pyroxenites and gabbroic host rocks.
The style of mineralisation at Yagahong is syn-tectonic and is
potentially similar to deposits in the Chibougamau area (Canada)
where a group of 14 deposits have produced more than 39.5 million
tonnes at an average grade of 1.57% Cu and 1.95 g/t Au.
Copper Hills / Lady Alma
SWN has completed a total of 13 reverse circulation and 3 diamond drill holes into the Copper Hills and Lady Alma prospects at Yagahong. This represents the first phase of drilling in the Yagahong Project area. Most drill holes contain elevated copper-gold mineralisation signifying extensive alteration and metal in the area.
Mineralisation at Copper Hills is quartz vein-hosted copper-gold within a northwest-trending, 3km long zone of sheared dolerite and gabbro. At Lady Alma copper-gold mineralisation comprises sulphides hosted in sheared dolerites.
Latest results show significant copper and gold intersections in the Copper Hills/Lady Alma areas. There are also several VTEM (airborne electromagnetic) conductors, potentially related to magmatic sulphides in the Lady Alma area that will require testing.
Geological map of the Copper Hills / Lady Alma area showing the location of recent drilling and a summary of results.
Photomicrographs of copper mineralisation at Copper Hills / Lady Alma showing: Chalcocite and covellite replacing chalcopyrite (left); Chrome spinel rimming and replacing magnetite (right).