Ventnor Resources Limited (ASX:VRX) has provided an update to the market on its activities for the three months to June 30. During the quarter, the company released results from its preliminary due diligence drilling program over the Muchea silica sand project, located 50km north of Perth. As part of due diligence investigations into the tenement, Ventnor conducted an aircore and hand auger drilling program to confirm the potential of the project as indicated by previous work undertaken by Australian Silica.
EXPLORATION
Muchea
During the June quarter, (5 April 2018) Ventnor released results from its preliminary due diligence drilling program over the Muchea Silica Sand Project which is located on tenement E70/4886 (refer Figure 1 below), located in the Muchea area, 50km north of Perth.
As part of its initial due diligence investigations into Tenement E70/4886, Ventnor conducted an aircore (AC) and hand auger drilling program within the Tenement area to confirm the potential of the project as indicated by previous work undertaken by Australian Silica.
Ventnor’s drilling included 46 aircore holes for 522 metres and 43 hand auger holes for 249 metres with an average intercept grade of 99.5% SiO2.
The results of the preliminary due diligence drilling program have confirmed the results provided by Australian Silica and also that this project has the potential for a very large high-grade silica sand resource.
Included in Ventnor’s due diligence investigations, the Company commenced a testwork program to ascertain the potential products that could be produced and marketed from the project and undertook an environmental desktop study.
The targeted silica sand deposits are the aeolian sand dunes that overlie the Pleistocene limestones and paleo-coastline, which host the Gingin heavy mineral deposits.
Figure 2 below is a schematic section showing the silica sand dune that is targeted for exploration. The targeted dune is the area above the surrounding natural surface and well above the standing water table.
Detailed information on the Muchea Silica Sand Project has been included in the Company’s ASX announcement on 05 April 2018.
Arrowsmith
On 12 April 2018 Ventnor announced the first two tenements had been granted at its Arrowsmith Silica Sands Project, located 270km north of Perth, Western Australia. The two tenements comprise the Arrowsmith Central and Arrowsmith South prospects which form part of the Arrowsmith Silica Sand Project area.
Figure 3 below shows a map of the Project area.
On 22 June 2018 Ventnor announced a further tenement had been granted at the Arrowsmith Silica Sand Project, located 270km north of Perth, Western Australia. The tenement, E70/5027covers the Arrowsmith North project area and comprises 56 blocks.
The final tenement application (ELA70/5109) is expected to be granted in the September 2018 quarter.
Ventnor has lodged PoW’s for exploration approval on the tenements to enable a JORC compliant Resource drilling program to be undertaken in the September 2018 Quarter. The three contiguous granted tenements covering the Arrowsmith North, Central and South project areas have a total granted area of 112 blocks or approximately 360km².
The Arrowsmith area potentially has low environmental impact mining propositions; with well established rehabilitation techniques in the nearby mineral sands industry.
