Pluton Gold Project

Pluton Gold Project Overview

The Pluton Gold Project gives Ark exposure to a highly prospective North Queensland gold system with historical exploration, surface sampling and drilling confirming gold mineralisation.

Previous work has returned surface rock-chip grades of up to 9.94 g/t gold, while drilling has intersected 48 metres averaging 0.26 g/t gold together with anomalous base-metal values. The project remains part of Ark’s broader exploration portfolio and offers potential for further exploration and target development.

Located approximately 90 kilometres south-west of Cairns near Mareeba in Far North Queensland, the Pluton Gold Project covers approximately 18 km² and is prospective for gold together with associated base and precious metals including silver, copper and molybdenum.

The project is supported by regional-scale geological interpretation, historical mapping, geochemistry, geophysics, surface sampling and drilling. Ark’s initial field inspection also identified a porphyry outcrop coinciding with regional-scale geophysical interpretation, adding to the project’s exploration potential.

Strong Historical Gold Results

Historical exploration has demonstrated gold mineralisation across the Pluton prospect.

Surface rock-chip sampling of breccia, quartz-veined breccia, sulphide breccia and quartz-veined sandstone returned gold values of up to 9.94 g/t Au. The same sampling program also returned elevated bismuth and lead values, providing additional indications of a mineralised system.

Historical drilling also returned a 48 metre intersection averaging 0.26 g/t Au from 30 metres downhole, including 3 metres at 0.86 g/t Au. The same intersection recorded anomalous copper, lead and zinc values, including copper up to 1,025 ppm and lead up to 1,055 ppm.

These results provide Ark with an established exploration target that can be further tested through modern geological interpretation, geophysics, sampling and drilling.

Geology and Exploration Target

The Pluton Prospect lies within the Siluro-Devonian Hodgkinson Province, an established mineral province in Far North Queensland dominated by sedimentary rocks including siliceous sandstones and siltstones.

Mineralisation at Pluton is associated with zones of brecciation, quartz veining and intrusive activity. Historical work identified porphyritic rhyolitic and dacitic dykes together with breccia-hosted mineralisation, while Ark’s own field inspection identified a porphyry outcrop associated with the broader geological and geophysical target.

These geological characteristics support Ark’s view that Pluton warrants further exploration for gold and associated metals.

Historical Exploration

Pluton has attracted exploration attention over several decades.

CRAE undertook detailed geological mapping, geochemical sampling and geophysical work during the late 1980s, including induced-polarisation surveying designed to identify potential drill targets. That work highlighted prospective porphyritic dacite dykes and associated breccia zones as important exploration targets.

Later exploration by Malachite Resources focused on the Pluton breccia zone and included surface sampling and drilling. This work produced the 9.94 g/t gold surface result and the 48 metre gold-bearing drill intersection, confirming that gold mineralisation is present within the project area.

Together, the historical exploration data, known mineralisation, porphyry-style geological setting and remaining untested targets provide Ark with a strong foundation for future exploration.

Exploration Upside

Pluton remains an exploration-stage asset, but it already has several features that make it an attractive part of Ark’s broader North Queensland portfolio:

• confirmed gold mineralisation from surface sampling and drilling;
• gold rock-chip results of up to 9.94 g/t;
• a historical 48 metre gold-bearing drill intersection;
• associated copper, lead, zinc and other base-metal anomalism;
• identified porphyry and breccia-style targets;
• existing historical geological and geophysical datasets; and
• substantial opportunity for further target definition and follow-up drilling.

While Sandy Mitchell remains Ark’s flagship development project, Pluton provides the company with additional exposure to a prospective gold system and the potential for further discoveries through targeted exploration.

Pluton Gold Project Presentation

Explore the Pluton Gold Project Presentation below for further information on the project’s geology, historical exploration, drilling results and exploration potential.

For additional information about the Pluton Gold Project, please contact Ark Mines.

Historical exploration results referenced on this page should be considered in the context of the original disclosures. Some historical information predates current reporting standards and remains subject to verification through further exploration by Ark Mines.