Regional exploration and the discovery of previously undocumented ancient mineralized exploration pits led to a significant epithermal gold-silver discovery in Mongolia’s Gobi desert in 2011. Now known as the Altan Nar gold project or Golden Sun, it is emerging as one of the most significant gold discoveries in Mongolia. Staked in 2009, as part of a major regional reconnaissance program, Altan Nar is a 100% company-owned project. Exploration work has included more than 8,200 metres of diamond drilling, confirming multiple gold-silver zones over a 5 kilometre by 1.5 kilometre area with individual zones returning up to 29 metres of 4.3 g/t gold and 24.1 g/t silver. The 2012 program identified multiple targets which remain untested by drilling and, based on the high success rate to date, it is anticipated that additional gold zones will be discovered in 2013.
An initial 4-hole drill program in September 2011 identified wide zones of Au-Ag-Pb-Zn epithermal breccia that is termed the Discovery Zone (“DZ”). Highlights from this initial drilling included 55 metres averaging 1.02 g/t Au, 12 g/t Ag, 0.26% Pb and 0.47% Zn. Subsequent drilling has expanded the DZ to over 400 metres by 100-150 metres. The DZ has several high-grade intersections including 29 metres averaging 4.3 g/t Au and 24.1 g/t Ag and is open to the NE and at depth.
Follow-up prospecting, geochemical surveys, geophysical surveys and drilling has refined the Altan Nar target zone to a NW-trending 5 kilometre by 1.5 kilometre area, termed the Target Corridor (“TC”), that is centred on the DZ. Drilling completed in late 2012 included the discovery of a new, near surface zone, 1.3 kilometres northwest of the DZ, that returned 47 metres of 1.3g/t gold including a nine metre zone of 4.4 g/t gold. Geochemical surveys have identified multiple gold and associated metal anomalies (rock chip samples commonly returned assays of 1 g/t to 27 g/t Au). In addition, a strong correlation between the geochemical results and geophysical data, including gradient array chargeability highs and magnetic lows, has been used to identify numerous drill targets within the TC. Many of these are yet to be drill tested.
| Zone | Hole No. |
Total Depth (m) |
From (m) |
To (m) |
Width (m) |
Au (g/t) |
Ag (g/t) |
| Discovery Zone | TND-09 | 111.0 | 20 | 75 | 55 | 1.02 | 11.6 |
| Incl | 50 | 73 | 23 | 2.07 | 23.0 | ||
| TND-19 | 220.0 | 128 | 157 | 29 | 4.29 | 24.1 | |
| Incl | 141 | 152 | 11 | 9.06 | 22.7 | ||
| Incl | 144 | 147 | 3 | 16.10 | 11.7 | ||
| TND-28 | 100.0 | 0 | 21 | 21 | 1.20 | 17.5 | |
| Incl | 12 | 19 | 7 | 3.35 | 46.9 | ||
| TND-38 | 276.4 | 106 | 140 | 34 | 1.59 | 9.2 | |
| Incl | 120 | 134 | 14 | 3.48 | 20.6 | ||
| Incl | 121 | 127 | 6 | 7.48 | 40.0 | ||
| TND-40 | 126.0 | 59 | 86 | 27 | 1.78 | 10.7 | |
| Incl | 73 | 81 | 8 | 4.49 | 25.4 | ||
| Northwest Target |
TND-46 | 105.5 | 20 | 67 | 47* | 1.26 | 3.8 |
| And | 98 | 102 | 4 | 1.03 | 3.0 | ||
* This interval includes two post mineral dykes totalling 25m
See the Company's latest press releases for the latest updates on drilling at Altan Nar.
