Labyrinth Begins Soil Sampling Program

Labyrinth Resources Limited (ASX: LRL) (‘Labyrinth’ or ‘the Company’) has completed preliminary mapping and sampling at its Comet Vale gold project in Western Australia (‘the Project’).

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• Reconnaissance trip a solid start to Comet Vale ground exploration program
  
• 35 rock chip samples of prospective mafic/ultramafic rocks and pegmatites were taken from Comet Vale tenements
• Samples are being assayed with results expected in 2-3 weeks
• Historic magnetics and radiometric data has been acquired and reprocessed to aid in mapping gold bearing structures and prospective geology
• Radiometric data (TC) showed several anomalies and previously unknown structures
• Soil sampling program has started on western side of tenement package

The reconnaissance program has renewed interest in the historically overlooked multi- commodity prospectivity of the Comet Vale project. Reconnaissance samples are at the laboratory undergoing analysis and results are expected in 2-3 weeks (samples shown in Figure 1 and Figure 2). Recently acquired radiometric data (U, Th and Total Count or “TC”) showed numerous unexplained anomalies (Figure 3). Pegmatite samples collected were coincident with these anomalies, though the radiometrics could be indicating alteration, variation in intrusives (more specifically fractionation) and faults.

These findings initiated a gridded soil sampling program. The soils will be assayed for Lithium (Li), Caesium (Cs), Tantalum (Ta) and other Rare Earth Elements whereas historical programs have focused on gold and some indicator elements for base metals. The soil samples will help to explain the geophysical anomalies.

CEO Jennifer Neild explained , “We’re fortunate at Comet Vale to have such a richly prospective tenement package for multiple commodities.

This does mean going back to basics and soil sampling programs are a great way to vector in on prospective intrusions, structures and in the best case, mineralisation.

With the recent joint venture activity proximal to Comet Vale focused on lithium, Labyrinth has been identified as highly prospective tenure both internally and externally.”

Figure 1. Pegmatites in hand sample and in the field.

The reconnaissance work also confirms historic positions of copper (Cu) (Figure 2) and nickel (Ni) laterite mineralisation and prospective geology. The work noted more detailed variation in ultramafic intrusions, possibly explaining some anomalism seen in geophysical data. Finding evidence to explain geochemical and geophysical variance narrows is key to narrowing down targets.

Figure 2. Copper minerals including bornite, chalcopyrite, azurite and malachite from Long Tunnel Prospect.

Figure 3. Total Count (total gamma radiation emitted) attributed to potassium (K), thorium (Th) and uranium (U) over a regional dataset. Goldfields Highway through the middle of the map. Infrastructure and salt lakes need to be considered. Map in MGA GDA 94 z51.

Figure 4. Geology overlain with aerial imagery, showing position of mine, sample locations and important structural trends MGA GDA z51.

Soil sampling was already in the planning stages when Ora Banda Mining Ltd (‘OBM’) signed a Joint Venture agreement with Wesfarmers Limited’s (‘WesCEF’) exploration subsidiary Brenahan Exploration Pty Ltd (‘BEPL’)1 lending credence to Labyrinth’s interpretation of the regional lithology (Figure 5). The recent exploration activity has involved thoroughly assessing the complete mineral potential through targeting exercises of Comet Vale.

Indicator elements will assist in understanding the fractionation of intrusives and make sense of the radiometric anomalies. Radiometric surveys can detect the intensity of gamma rays of particular elements like K, Th and U. The TC refers to the total gamma rays emitted and might indicate the partitioning of elements within granitic melts, potentially a helpful tool in detecting compositional changes in intrusions.

Background

Gold occurrences across the ground produced many ounces of gold in small scale operations over the last 120 years. Long Tunnel-Lake View and Coonega trends (ENE-WSW) have been thought to be minor trends, but the structure can be delineated across the region in the magnetics. Other N-S trends such as the Rambo Trend, east of Comet Vale also remain interesting with historic drillholes now digitised and confirm mineralisation (Figure 4).

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