Tri Origin finds new Aussie zone

An ore-grade massive sulphide occurrence has been intersected in the latest round of drilling by Tri Origin Exploration (TSE) at its Lewis Ponds polymetallic property in New South Wales.

Hole 46, drilled about 900 metres south of the main deposit, cut massive sulphides averaging 2.53 grams gold and 127 grams silver per tonne, 0.3% copper, 6.06% lead and 9.35% zinc over six metres at a downhole depth of 124 metres.

“We’re really pleased with the higher gold content [in hole 46],” says Tri Origin President Robert Valliant. “We think this intersection and the earlier one in hole 41 could place the Lewis Ponds project in a whole new light.” Hole 41, drilled 600 metres south of the main deposit, intersected mineralization that ran 1.73 grams gold and 179 grams silver per ton, as well as 0.83% copper, 6.05% lead and 7.42% zinc.

This latest drilling included three other holes drilled in the vicinity of hole 41. Hole 47 intersected mineralization that ran 0.61 gram gold, 53 grams silver and about 3% combined copper-lead-zinc across 3 metres, followed by 1.83 grams gold, 59 grams silver and 6.5% combined copper-lead-zinc across 2 metres. The intersections were updip from the intersection of hole 41. Hole 44, drilled on the northern margin of the hole 41 zone, cut 2.62 grams gold, 125 grams silver and 5% combined copper-lead-zinc. Hole 45 returned lower grade mineralization.

The next phase of work at Lewis Ponds will include downhole geophysics and data compilation, which will precede follow-up drilling for the new sulphide discoveries.

Here in Canada, Tri Origin recently completed an 8-hole, 1,772-metre drill program designed to test eight induced-polarization anomalies on the company’s Straw Lake property, 300 km west of Thunder Bay, Ont. Although the drilling failed to intersect economic mineralization, several intervals of altered and sulphide-bearing felsic volcanics, up to 200 metres thick, were observed.

Thus encouraged, Tri Origin has acquired an option on four patented mining claims, known as the Straw Lake Beach mine property, that adjoin its property to the west.

Tri Origin can earn a 100% interest in the claims by paying $11,000 over three years. Straw Lake Beach hosts a small, past-producing mine which yielded 11,000 oz. gold during the early 1940s.

Later this summer, the company will explore the mine area and look for correlations between the mine geology, the known gold occurrences and the recently drilled sulphide zones.