Rockfire Resources (LSE:ROCK) has reported preliminary drilling results from its wholly owned Molaoi zinc deposit in Greece, including multiple elevated zinc and silver readings from diamond drill hole HMO-021, as the company works towards upgrading its mineral resource classification.
The drilling programme is intended to provide additional geological information to support the conversion of the existing Inferred resource to the Indicated category.
Preliminary results from HMO-021 include several high-grade zinc and silver readings obtained using portable X-ray fluorescence (pXRF) equipment. Rockfire said the readings included the highest silver grade encountered at Molaoi to date.
The results remain preliminary, with laboratory assays pending. The final grades will require confirmation through laboratory analysis.
Alongside the drilling programme, Rockfire has completed metallurgical and geotechnical testing to inform processing plant selection and underground mine design.
Metallurgical results support the potential use of a Semi-Autogenous Grinding (SAG) circuit rather than a conventional ball mill. The company said this configuration could reduce operating costs and electricity consumption, subject to further engineering assessment.
Geotechnical testing included Uniaxial Compressive Strength measurements, which identified variations in rock strength across the deposit.
The findings will be used to assess underground mining conditions and determine appropriate excavation designs and rock support requirements.
Rockfire is also preparing to expand its drilling capabilities, with a company-owned drilling rig scheduled to arrive in Athens in November.
The equipment is expected to support the continuation of exploration and resource development activities at Molaoi.
The Molaoi deposit contains zinc, lead, silver and germanium mineralisation. Rockfire is advancing drilling, metallurgical studies and mine design work as part of its evaluation of the project’s development potential.
The company also holds exploration interests in Queensland, Australia, including the Plateau gold-silver deposit and the Marengo gold-silver-copper prospect. Certain Australian projects are subject to farm-in arrangements with ASX-listed partners.
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