OD6 Metals (ASX:OD6) extends fluorspar corridor at Quinn
OD6 Metals has reported mapping and rock sampling results from the Rocket, Big Jim and Spar Corridor at its Quinn Fluorspar Project in Nevada, USA, where high grade fluorspar has been confirmed in at least 4 structures of differing orientation over approximately 700m.
Highlights
6 samples returned at least 97% CaF₂, including 3 samples reported at 99.9% CaF₂, representing the highest grades reported to date at Quinn.
Big Jim returned 99.9%, 99.9%, 99.7% and 99.5% CaF₂ from a shallow dipping vein, while its footwall breccia returned 37.4% CaF₂.
Rocket returned 88.8% CaF₂ from fluorspar veins hosted in brecciated, silicified outcrop.
Spar, approximately 450m east of Big Jim, returned 94.3%, 94.1% and 87.1% CaF₂ from felsic dyke contacts.
The mineralised system remains open along strike and at depth, with drill permitting in progress.
The Big Jim main structure is located beneath a highly silicified jasperoid breccia interpreted by OD6 to represent the Saw Mill Thrust, a Mesozoic low angle thrust dipping west.
Mineralisation consists of an observed 2m vein of near pure fluorspar, dipping between 15° and 20° to the west, with cut assays returning up to 99.9% CaF₂.
The footwall comprises a breccia containing mixed carbonate and fluorspar, with an observed width of 2 m, although its base is obscured and the true width may be greater.
Historic workings indicate an approximate strike length of 200m, although only 1 adit is now visible at surface.
Soil sampling also produced highly anomalous results along strike to the north of the projected structure, indicating a potential continuation.
At Rocket, the vein occurs as a brecciated and silicified structure hosted in limestone, dipping shallowly to the west and potentially parallel with bedding in the Pogonip Formation limestones, although scant outcrop makes its width difficult to establish, with OD6 estimating it at 1 m to 2 m.
Nearby mine spoil and float material thought to be sourced from Rocket returned 99.9%, 97.0%, 90.6% and 74.0% CaF₂, while a basal breccia returned up to 12.3% CaF₂, suggesting a lower grade footwall of unknown thickness.
Samples have been collected from surface diggings at Rocket Upper and assays are pending, with no visual estimate of mineralisation presented.
Spar comprises 3 small open pit diggings extending to approximately 1 m to 2 m in depth, with mineralisation appearing as veins up to 2 m wide along ENE to WSW striking, steeply dipping felsic dykes, while clay from a dyke contact returned 6.6% CaF₂ and the dyke returned 1.0% CaF₂.
The dykes are resistant to weathering and can be traced across the topography towards Big Jim, forming a potential target area along strike.
The surface results follow metallurgical work completed on material from the Big Jim main vein.
OD6 Managing Director Brett Hazelden said:
“The 18kg Big Jim sample previously returned a head grade of 98.3% CaF₂ with very low gangue and deleterious elements and demonstrated excellent ore-sorting performance.”
OD6 states that this work supports a potential low capital pathway to a Direct Shipping Metspar product ahead of a full flotation circuit for premium Acidspar above 97% CaF₂.
The company also states that the relatively narrow veins within the corridor complement the 60m wide replacement zone at Horseshoe and the 100m wide breccia and stockwork zone at Mammoth.
The announcement reports rock sampling, with no drilling reported. OD6 states that, in the absence of drilling, the sampling does not provide sufficient information for Mineral Resource estimation.
Laboratory accuracy for individual fluorine assays is reported at ±1.2%, while 2 samples producing calculated results above 100% CaF₂ were top cut to 99.9%.
OD6 holds 100% ownership of 226 mining claims covering approximately 1,890 hectares at Quinn, where >20 fluorspar occurrences have been identified across an 8km mineralised corridor.
The company is completing drill permitting, with future drilling requiring permitting through the US Forest Service.