Stellar Resources has commenced a new one year, 10,000 metres drilling programme at its now 100%-owned Heemskirk project in Tasmania. The project contains three orebodies (Queen Hill, Montana and Severn) and is adjacent to the Renison mine. Indicated and inferred resources currently amount to 4.36 million tonnes at 1.1% Sn (48,000 tonnes contained tin). Diamond drilling has resumed on the Severn orebody, with completion of the first hole expected in early April. The drilling program is planned for completion by March quarter 2013, with two rigs operating from April 2012. The program will also aim to upgrade and enlarge resources at Queen Hill and Montana.
Nearby in Tasmania, Venture Minerals has identified further potential to produce direct shipping iron ore (DSO), cash flow from which will support the development of its Mt Lindsay tin-tungsten deposit. The combination of the recently discovered Riley Creek deposit and the Livingstone deposit gives it a total of 4.4 million tonnes of DSO at 57% Fe. The company is close to completing a Bankable Feasibility Study on Mt Lindsay, one of the world’s larger undeveloped tin deposits. Both Venture and Stellar are members of the ITRI Explorers and Developers Group.
Further north, Monto Minerals will be commencing a major three phase copper and tin drilling programme at its Herberton, Queensland project in early April 2012. In the first phase, commencing early April, Monto intends undertaking around 2,000 metres of reverse circulation (RC) drilling targeting high grade copper and tin at its Confederation prospect, which is near the now operational Baal Gammon mine. Monto also plans to carry out some 500m of RC drilling at the Chance prospect to identify high grade tin mineralisation. Two further phases of drilling later in the year will involve another 5,000m of follow up work and examinations of further targets related to historical mine workings in the area.
