Recent extensional drilling has returned headline assays such a 14.7m at 11.42 grams per tonne from 554m downhole, including 4.37m at 36.80gpt.
The bonanza-grade hit was delivered from drilling targeting an area 50m north of the discovery hole.
A second hole closer to the initial target returned 17.7m at 6.58gpt from 562m, including 7.5m at 11.93gpt.
First announced in April, Pepper sits 100m from the 950,000 ounce Never Never deposit and is close to the Four Pillars prospect at the northern end of the Gilbey’s pit.
Pepper appears to be obscured by shallow, lower tenor mineralisation that may explain why the blind target was not previously noticed, and it raises questions about what else may be hidden in the area given Never Never sits within a zone once considered effectively sterilised after drilling prior to 2017. It has a 1.6-1.9Moz exploration target.
While a maiden Pepper resource is still some weeks away, Spartan believes the results show “increasing ounces per vertical metre potential”, making Pepper a spicy addition to the stew as Spartan prepares to get its suspended project cooking again.
Managing director Simon Lawson said the company was confident that Pepper would become a standalone gold deposit that would be built up during the next phase of Dalgaranga’s development.
The rigs are spinning around the clock, with recent drilling tracing the Never Never lode to deliver its deepest-ever result below 1000m.
With a recent underwritten A$80 million capital raising at 58c per share and elevated gold prices, the site team is moving to establish an exploration decline to support drill platforms and the supporting infrastructure that should eventually enable underground operations.
Dalgaranga ceased production in late 2022, a victim of abnormally high rainfall, labour shortages, COVID-19 impacts, declining production and increasing costs.
Its 2.5Mtpa mill remains on care and maintenance.
