Joint venturer Western Plains Gold Ltd (ASX Code: WPG) has advised that an initial programme of RC percussion drilling at Fairy Hill prospect, in the Euriowie Project area, Broken Hill NSW has been completed. The planned programme consisted of six inclined holes drilled to a depth of 100 metres each. The holes were designed to test a zone where previous RAB drilling by WPG had defined a strong bedrock copper anomaly extending over a 200 metre strike length and where sampling of gossan outcrops had shown values up to 18.5% copper and 1.86 g/t gold.

Two holes intersected intervals of 20-30 metres width containing bands of oxidised copper mineralisation (malachite, azurite) in the upper parts of the holes. Three holes intersected intervals of 10-20 metres width containing irregular veinlets of copper sulphides (chalcopyrite) and pyrite. The significance of these intersections cannot be determined until analyses are received. 570 samples are being despatched for analysis and results should be available by mid January 2006.

The drilling has now moved to the nearby Yalcowinna Creek prospect where nine holes are planned to test a strong bedrock copper anomaly that extends over a strike length of 700 metres. Within this zone, sampling of gossan outcrops has shown values up to 11.9% copper and 2.2 g/t gold.

These two prospects are the first of six prospects in the Euriowie tenement where there are strongly anomalous gossan outcrops which have not been drill tested by previous explorers and which have been selected by WPG for detailed prospect work and drilling.