Galantas Gold Corporation has released the findings of a recent gradient array induced polarization (IP) and resistivity geophysical study at the Omagh Project in County Tyrone, Northern Ireland, located five kilometers west of the Cavanacaw Gold Mine.
Figure 1. Map showing the location of key exploration targets. New geophysical results over Cornavarrow are shown in the inset and Figure 2. Image Credit: Galantas Gold Corporation
The Company is particularly pleased to have recently gained full planning approval to drill eight boreholes at three different sites on the mining site. The holes will go through the southern section of the Joshua Vein.
It is exciting to note that a strong north-south trending resistor was identified at the Cornavarrow target, with a similar signal to that generated over a gold-bearing structure close to the mine in 2021. Cornavarrow represents an exciting target that has never been drilled and would be key in helping us glean the wider potential of the gold district. We are also keen to continue drilling at the main Joshua Vein which runs broadly parallel to and some 450 m west of the other main Kearney Vein. Positive drilling results from the last few years have delineated trends of dilation zones, which have the potential for higher widths of mineralization. Testing the down-dip potential of the dilation zones at Joshua could aid in resource expansion and ultimately add to the Omagh Mine’s production capacity.
Mario Stifano, Chief Executive Officer, Galantas Gold Corporation
When conducting a similar survey over the Elkins Vein in 2021, the company tested the efficacy of the IP method for defining mineralization targets in this terrain. a north-south aligned apparent resistivity IP anomaly that corresponds with known mineralization. In 2021, a second IP survey was carried out over the Pigeon Top target, which is 1.5 km west of the mine site. This survey also found a strong resistor trending north-south over 500 m, which coincided with base-of-till gold anomalies.
The image displays the locations of the Elkins, Pigeon Top, and Cornavarrow targets, which are spread out over a 6 km strike. As stated by BRG Ltd. Consulting Geophysicist Graham Reid, the geophysical anomalies found in those previous surveys are probably bedrock fault structures. Because they are the structures that support mineralization at the mine site, north-trending faults are excellent candidates for exploration.
Galantas commissioned an IP survey grid for the Cornavarrow target in January 2024, covering 1.4 square kilometers. Cornavarrow is five km west of the Cavanacaw Gold Mine. RioFinex conducted exploration in the late 1980s. At that time, float rock and stream sediments had anomalies related to gold and base metals; notably, a tiny vein exposure known as the “Cornavarrow Burn East Showing” was also discovered.
An intersection grading 1.15 grams per tonne (g/t) gold, 4.2 g/t silver, and 1,366 g/t lead over a 1.5-m width across the visible vein was found in a 2003 technical report by ACA Howe. The report also mentioned that “what is visible at Cornavarrow Burn East Showing could be the edge of higher-grade mineralization which is not exposed.” Geologists in Galantas discovered 3.5 g/t gold in an outcrop sample that had been chipped during later exploration.
The eastern boundary of the 900-m northerly trending resistor is 100 m west of the in-situ vein mineralization. According to BRG Ltd.’s theory, a zone of increased silicification within the mapped psammites might be represented by the Cornavarrow resistor. Geologists in Galantas have observed silicification linked to quartz veins that contain gold at Cavanacaw.
The target region is mostly located in the competent lithology known as the “Cavanacaw Member,” which is north of a thrust fault. Thus, the structural environment is comparable to the mine site. Up until now, no diamond drilling has taken place in the region.