Rumble Resources Ltd (ASX: RTR) has confirmed the Maiden Resource for its flagship Earaheedy zinc and lead project, located 100 kilometres north of Wiluna in Western Australia.
The maiden pit-constrained inferred mineral resource shows 94 million tonnes at 3.1 per cent zinc-lead and 4.1 grams per tonne of silver, containing more than 2.2 million tonnes of zinc, 0.6 million tonnes of lead, and 12.6 million ounces of silver.
Globally 92 per cent of zinc is mined underground, with substantially higher mining costs, while the other eight per cent is mined open pit.
Earaheedy at this stage leans to an open-pit scenario, which allows for signficantly lower mining costs.
Rumble Resources Managing Director Shane Sikora said the exceptional resource estimate was a major milestone for the company, confirming Earaheedy as one of the largest zinc sulphide discoveries globally over the last decade.
Sikora said: “Achieving a maiden JORC compliant Mineral Resource Estimate of this size and significance in 24 months post discovery is a tremendous effort by the technical team.
“The sheer scale, optionality, and extraordinary growth potential of Earaheedy could see the project stamp itself as a world class, multi decade asset and play a key role in the global renewable energy transition.
“The extensive strike and flat lying geometry of this unique unconformity hosted Zn-Pb mineralisation at Earaheedy, along with the highly favourable metallurgical results announced by the company in late 2022, has seen a large portion of the global resource being constrained within a series of large shallow conceptual open pits.
“The project has exceptional near term growth potential with the deposits open in all direction and, less than 35 per cent of the 45km mineralised Unconformity Unit (host to the current resources) effectively drill tested, while none of the thick underlying geologically fertile formations which could host high-grade MVT deposits have been tested.
“The next phase of drilling, due to begin in May, will be focused on resource extensions and new discoveries, whilst beneficiation and initial scoping studies will occur in parallel with the exploration campaign.”