South Africa’s Impala Platinum (Implats) has resumed drilling at the Sunday Lake platinum/palladium property in Ontario, Canada, following the completion of its C$758-million acquisition of North American Palladium (NAP) last month.
Prior to Implats buying NAP, the companies had a relationship dating back to 2017 through the Sunday Lake project, 30 km north of Thunder Bay. Implats now owns 75% of Sunday Lake and property generator Transition Metals has a free-carried interest through to the completion of a feasibility study.
According to Transition Metals, Implats plans to drill 5 400 m in four holes to test for high-grade platinum group metal mineralisation associated with the ‘Big Red’ anomaly. In 2019, drilling of this anomaly returned significant mineralisation, including 41.20 m at 5.51 g/t platinum, palladium and gold.
“The Sunday Lake property is a key project for Transition Metals with results thus far outlining significant continuous and thick intervals of platinum and palladium mineralisation across an area which is now 1 500 m by 900 m in size.
“Drilling targeting the Big Red anomaly in 2019 returned the best grades and thicknesses of mineralisation intersected to date on the property so we are very excited about the planned follow-up programme,” said Transition CEO and president Scott McLean.
To date a total of 29 343 m have been completed on the property, targeting sulphide mineralisation associated with the basal Marginal zone.