Perth mining company Trafford Resources reports that it has received the most recent results from its drilling programme at the Telephone Dam project, at Wilcherry Hill, in South Australia, confirming extensive tabular zones of commercial-grade lead, zinc and silver, over a 1 500 m strike length, initially outlined by the 2008 and 2009 drilling programme.

“The decision to resume drilling at Telephone Dam, following a break of over a year, was the first step in the company’s announced intention to intensify its exploration activity now that the Wilcherry Hill iron-ore project, operated by joint venture partner and subsidiary IronClad Mining, was on track for production,” says Trafford MD Ian Finch.

The deposit, which consists of two sub- parallel zones, remains open to the north and south at depth.

Significant results came from drill hole 11TDRC004, which opens up the deposit to the north-east. This area was previously considered less prospective since shallow historical holes returned little evidence of mineralisation.

Hole 11TDRC004 returned 22 m at 2.84% lead and zinc and 68 g/t silver from 12 m. This intercept appears to be related to the strong mineralisation returned in 11TDRC001 about 200 m to the south and the trend remains open to the north.

In 2009, the best result from the drilling programme was 92 m at 2.28% lead and zinc, with 51 g/t silver from 60 m in hole 09TDRC009. This result included 1 m at 51.4% lead and zinc with 750 g/t silver. Recent drilling has successfully extended this significant mineralisation, both along strike and downdip.

Hole 11TDRC009 intercepted 12 m at 6.53% lead and zinc and 93 g/t silver from 158 m, including 2 m at 24.65% lead and zinc and 392.5 g/t silver from 158 m.

Rock chips from the current drilling have been submitted for metallurgical testwork to analytical services company Mineral Engineering Technical Services. The testwork will be undertaken on both oxidised and fresh samples, which can be expected in the following quarter.

The Telephone Dam prospect is one of six lead, zinc and silver prospects identified by Trafford Resources within the 960 km2 area of its Wilcherry Hill tenements. It is 15 km south-east of Meninnie Dam, where an inferred resource of 7.7 Mt at 5.3% lead and zinc and 27 g/t silver has been defined.

The broad extent of the mineralisation and its closeness to the surface, coupled with the proximity of the prospect to the Port Pirie lead and zinc smelter, its closeness to the mining infrastructure to be developed for the Wilcherry Hill iron-ore project, and to existing roads, railways, ports and power supplies in the region, are positive for any future developments.