Alice Queen Ltd (ASX:AQX) has received a positive determination of a Review of Environmental Factors (REF) enabling it to begin drilling the Mendooran prospect within its broader Northern Molong Projects in Central West NSW.
The written confirmation was from the NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service (NPWS) for drilling within the Goonoo Goonoo State Conversation Area.
Eight large-scale copper-gold targets at Mendooran project in the Molong Volcanic Belt remain untested within the boundary of the State Conservation Area and these targets have never been explored to depth.
The company began work on the REF in 2017, completing and submitting it to the NPWS in late 2019.
“Important part of Northern Molong Projects”
Managing director Andrew Buxton said: “Alice Queen committed itself to the Northern Molong Projects in 2016 under the guidance and advice of John Holliday, our chief technical advisor and co-discoverer of Cadia.
“We undertook the extensive work required of the REF in 2018.
“We are very excited to have granted monies towards our Mendooran program in the Goonoo Goonoo State Conservation Area and receiving a positive determination for the work we undertook for the REF.
“Mendooran is an important part of our Northern Molong Projects that we have expended in excess of $1 million on target generation and access.
“We have eight large-scale copper-gold porphyry targets within Mendooran that have never been drill tested, within a district that is increasingly proving itself to be fertile.”
Drilling grant for Mendooran
On April 1, Alice Queen was awarded a $200,000 grant under the NSW New Frontiers Drilling Program as funding for the intended drill program at Mendooran.
This prospect is an integral component of Alice Queen’s greater Northern Molong Project area and is in close proximity to well-established mining operations including Newcrest Mining’s (ASX:NCM) Cadia Valley and highly prospective exploration projects such as Alkane Resources Limited’s (ASX:ALK) recent major Boda discovery.
Buxton said at the time: “We thank the NSW Government for continuing to support our Under Cover Northern Molong Strategy that we commenced in 2016.”