Summary:
Butchers Creek deposit is found within the Butchers Gully Member that comprises metamorphosed andesitic to trachytic volcanic flows, subvolcanic sills and domes, and associated volcaniclastic rocks, with a carbonate-rich matrix interlayered by chert and ferruginous chert. Volcanic units display both leucocratic (light-coloured, trachytic and amygdaloidal) and mesocratic (intermediate coloured, trachytic, pillowed or massive) textures and may have scoriaceous tops or interflow breccia beds. Amygdales are commonly filled with secondary minerals such as limonite, calcite, biotite, quartz, and fluorite. Subvolcanic sills and dykes ranging from 1–150m in thickness intrude the lava flows. Volcaniclastic beds frequently show a facies trend from crystal-rich zones and pumiceous textures (proximal to vent) to volcanic metasandstone in more distal facies, reflecting heterogeneity in eruptive styles and depositional environments.
Two distinct styles of gold mineralisation are observed in the Project area:
• Stratabound Mineralisation in Syenite Hosts: At the Butchers Creek and Golden Crown deposits, gold is hosted in syenite intrusions and is typically associated with pervasive potassic alteration, along with sulphide-bearing quartz veins within the syenite body;
• Shear-Hosted Mineralisation in Sedimentary Rocks: At prospects such as Mt Bradley, Ruby Queen North, and Emjay, gold is found in sulphide-bearing quartz veins that are hosted within sheared sedimentary rocks, with the mineralisation often accompanied by disseminated and vein sulphides.
Mineralisation at Butchers Creek is stratabound, predominantly located within the hinge zone of a tightly folded antiform developed in a syenite intrusion. This syenite underwent significant strain partitioning during orogenic events and is enveloped by metasedimentary rocks, including sandstones, siltstones, and shales. Structural mapping indicates the antiform plunges 20°–25° southwest, traceable over 1.4 to 1.5 kilometres and to vertical depths approaching 400 metres, with the downplunge continuity of high-grade mineralisation confirmed by drilling results. High-grade mineralisation remains open down plunge, suggesting further resource potential at depth.
Open Pit Ore Body
The Butchers Creek orebody plunges at 20 to 25 degrees to the southwest and is traceable over 1.5km to a vertical depth of 400m.
Underground Ore Body
The gold mineralisation at the Butchers Creek is stratabound within a tightly folded antiformal hinge zone of an intrusive syenite host. This is bound within a sedimentary package of sandstones, siltstones and shales. The antiform hosting the mineralised syenite plunges at 20o -25o to the southwest and is traceable over 1.5km to a vertical depth of 400m, with the down plunge extent of the deposit limited by drilling.
The orebody comprises of both a West and East limb which can up to 20m wide with the top hinge widening out to 55m across. The higher grades appear to be contained in the top hinge. On the horizontal the strike length extends out to 400m on the 100mRL with the northern area thinning to 3m wide at the furthest extent. The East limb predominantly hosts more material and extends further both north and south in strike extent.