- 01Linka: 18m@0.42% WO3; 13m@0.46% WO3.
- 02Near-surface to below workings.
- 03Assays pending for 7 Linka Main holes; RC resumes mid-Oct.
Viking Mines (ASX: VKA) has confirmed thick tungsten mineralisation above and below the historical Linka Mine workings at its Linka tungsten project in Nevada from the second batch of assays in its maiden reverse circulation drilling program.
The strongest new down-dip results returned 18 metres at 0.42% tungsten oxide (WO3) from 62m and 13m at 0.46% WO3 from 70m, with estimated true widths of about 16m and 11m respectively.
Shallow drilling above the historical stopes returned 6m at 0.46% WO3 from 14m and 6m at 0.21% WO3 from 16m, supporting Viking’s interpretation of mineralisation extending from near surface to beneath the historical workings.
All four newly assayed holes are hosted in tactite (skarn), and corresponded closely with disseminated and coarse scheelite logged under shortwave ultraviolet light, supporting the company’s 3D geological model.
Assays remain pending for seven Linka Main holes, with the next batch expected in mid-October ahead of the RC rig’s planned return to complete the maiden program.
Extended Mineralised Zone
The deeper intercepts contained individual 1m samples grading as high as 1.02% WO3, while other higher-grade intervals reached 3m at 0.75% WO3 and 4m at 0.70% WO3.
These follow an earlier 14m intersection at 0.56% WO3 from the same program, and are comparable with recorded historical production at Linka of about 0.49% WO3.
Viking considers the combined shallow and deeper results consistent with a continuous mineralised zone spanning the area between the historical open pit, underground stopes and the ground below the former workings.
“Tungsten continues to be confirmed within our zones of visually logged scheelite, which gives us confidence in the shortwave UV logging estimates being made in the field,” chief executive officer Julian Woodcock said.
“I look forward to receiving the remaining assays for the holes completed to date, and maintain high expectations of further good results.”
Drilling Set to Resume
As at 22 September, Viking had drilled 20 holes at Linka, comprising 14 around Linka Main, four at the southwest extension including one abandoned hole, and two regional exploratory holes.
The contractor has temporarily demobilised the rig for maintenance and a crew break, with drilling scheduled to resume in mid-October to complete the maiden RC program.
Two of the pending Linka Main holes contain 9.9m and 12.2m of visually logged scheelite, although these estimates are not a substitute for laboratory assays and provide no information on impurities or deleterious physical properties.
At the southwest extension, drilling has intersected the targeted limestone-monzonite contact without visible scheelite to date, while regional drilling has confirmed limestone above the intrusion in one hole and left another target untested after failing to penetrate younger tuff.
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