Canadian explorer Kalo Gold Corp. has confirmed widespread gold mineralisation at its 100%-owned Vatu Aurum Project in Fiji, with laboratory fire assays returning grades of up to 8.78 grams per tonne (g/t) gold, reinforcing the company's geological model ahead of a new phase of exploration.
The assay results from the Wainikoro prospect confirmed that surface gold occurrences are sourced from mineralised bedrock, strengthening the company's interpretation of a structurally controlled low-sulphidation epithermal gold system.
Kalo said the certified fire assays validated its previously reported detectORE field screening results, with laboratory analyses generally matching or exceeding field estimates.
Surface sampling returned assays of 8.78 g/t Au, 4.78 g/t Au, 4.44 g/t Au, 3.41 g/t Au and 2.03 g/t Au, while trench sampling produced selective point assays of up to 2.93 g/t Au. Continuous channel sampling averaged 0.28 g/t Au over 14 metres, confirming continuity of mineralisation beneath surface exposures.
Company President and Chief Executive Officer Terry Tucker said the latest results significantly increased confidence in the geological model being developed at Wainikoro.
"These certified fire assay results provide independent confirmation of the gold identified through our detectORE field screening and, importantly, demonstrate that mineralisation extends into bedrock beneath the surface occurrences we have been mapping," Tucker said.
"Each phase of exploration is building on the last, allowing us to progressively reduce geological uncertainty before advancing to the next phase of work," he added.
The company said the results confirmed multiple styles of gold mineralisation, including chalcedonic quartz veins, silicified volcanic rocks and hydrothermal breccias developed along the Nubu Graben structural corridor.
Eleven surface samples returned grades above 0.5 g/t gold, indicating mineralisation is distributed across the target area rather than confined to isolated occurrences.
Kalo has engaged Fender Geophysics Pty Ltd to undertake controlled-source audio-frequency magnetotellurics (CSAMT), induced polarisation and gravity surveys at Wainikoro. The surveys are expected to define the subsurface geometry of the mineralised system and support target prioritisation for future exploration.
The company said the geophysical programme would integrate geological mapping, geochemistry, trenching and structural interpretation into a single exploration model aimed at refining future drilling targets.
Kalo Gold is advancing the 367-square-kilometre Vatu Aurum Project on Vanua Levu, where exploration has identified multiple low-sulphidation epithermal gold targets across a northeast-trending mineralised corridor.
