Metals X to Begin Regional Renison Exploration

SEATTLE (ITRI.CO.UK): Metals X has announced that it will begin an exploration campaign across the Renison mining lease in the final quarter of 2021.

In previous years, Metals X – via its Bluestone Mines Tasmania Joint Venture (BMTJV) – has focused on extending mineralisation within the Renison mine. Results of this work have been positive, with the addition of the Area 5 high-grade sector of the mine a particular highlight.

However, the company is now looking slightly further afield.

Soil geochemistry is a crucial technique for early exploration work – it is a courser, but cheaper and more rapid method for generating drilling targets. Soil is collected and analysed for a wide range of minerals, which can be associated directly with target sequences or their alteration halos. For instance, a 2018 study by BMTJV found that high arsenic, bismuth, antimony, and indium values can be associated with the tin mineralisation at Renison.

Soil geochemistry has not been employed at Renison since the 1970’s. A 2019 review of the data from the 1960’s and 1970’s identified anomalous zones of zinc, copper, and arsenic – as well as tin – just south of the existing Renison Mine Site.

These zones will be covered extensively in the planned soil sampling program. Some 742 samples will be collected over 75km of tracks (blue dashed lines in header image), primarily in these anomalous zones, but also stretching further afield. Results from the soil assays will be combined with the historical data to highlight new potential tin-bearing areas or to identify high priority drilling targets.

Alongside the geochemistry, BMTJV will also be employing geophysics to aid its regional exploration efforts.

Three new diamond drill holes will be completed, totalling some 1,800m, targeting highly electromagnetically conductive zones. These zones were identified in a 2019 down hole electromagnetic survey program. Results from this work will give Metals X and BMTJV a better understanding of the conductive signatures, which may help to point future exploration efforts to tin – or other – mineralised zones.

The techniques mentioned above may become particularly useful if BMTJV is granted a new exploration license. The JV has applied for one directly adjacent to the Renison Mining Lease, immediately to the north and west. This area includes the north-west extension of the Federal-Bassett fault (the main structural control on tin mineralisation in Rension), as well as the mine stratigraphy. New exploration, combined with the assimilation of historical data, could reveal new mineralisation areas.

ITRI View: With the tin project pipeline relatively thin, more exploration is required to meet forecasts for future demand. Exploration around Renison, where the geology is well understood, should help Metals X to expand the known areas of tin mineralisation relatively quickly compared to exploration at brand new projects.

Courtesy: www. itri.co.uk