Established Australian copper-gold producer and explorer Aeris Resources Ltd (ASX:AIS) is making good progress on key development projects at its Tritton copper operations in NSW.
An escape ladderway to surface is fully installed at Avoca Tank, which allows stoping to start.
Trucking of the first Avoca Tank stope, delivering 11,000 tonnes at roughly 3% copper ore, kicked off on May 28. The company is satisfied this high-grade ore will contribute to a significant increase in copper production forecast at Tritton in the fourth quarter of the year.
Fantastic job
Aeris executive chairman Andre Labuschagne praised the team for its “fantastic job” to bring the Avoca Tank into production on time, saying: “This high-grade ore source will be a major contributor to lifting copper grades at Tritton going forward.
“The recent high-grade drill results at Avoca Tank also indicate the potential for higher grades and a larger metal inventory within the initial mining areas.
“Unfortunately, geotechnical issues continue to delay the Budgerygar ventilation raise, with completion now expected in early Q1 2024, enabling a significant ramp-up in production from the mine in 2024.
“Scheduled ore and copper metal production from Budgerygar in quarter 4, however, is not at risk as the scheduled tonnes can be mined with existing infrastructure, prior to completion of the primary ventilation shaft.”
Grade control diamond drilling is also in train on site, which confirms the high-grade tenor of Avoca Tank deposit, with high-grade intersections from the dominant high-grade copper-rich massive sulphide lens.
Resource definition and grade control drilling has focused on targeting a 60-metre-high vertical section covering the initial production front.
To date, the drill program has exceeded expectations with assays returned from most drill holes intersecting high-grade copper and gold and is associated with three massive sulphide lenses: two copper-gold and one, smaller gold only.
The lenses remain open down-plunge.
High-grade copper-gold confirmed
Drilling at Avoica Tank has confirmed a dominant high-grade copper-gold massive sulphide lens with a smaller less continuous off-shoot. The larger massive sulphide lens has been traced 100 metres along strike and extends vertically beyond the 60-metre vertical drilling window. The drill program has not closed off the lens along strike to the north.
Over at Budgerygar, raise boring for the ventilation shaft continues to encounter geotechnical issues, resulting in slower progress than planned. The 4-metre-diameter vent shaft is expected to be completed early in the first quarter of the 2024 financial year.
Nevertheless, production in the fourth quarter of the current financial year is not at risk, as the scheduled tonnes can be mined with existing infrastructure, prior to completion of the primary ventilation shaft.
When the ventilation shaft is completed, the company will enjoy higher production rates with multiple headings going forward.
Ore development activities are on track at Budgerygar.
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