Cooper Metals Ltd (ASX:CPM) has identified semi-massive sulphides in diamond drilling at King Solomon 1 prospect within the Mt Isa East Copper-Gold Project in northwest Queensland.
Dominated by chalcopyrite and pyrite, the 11-metre downhole zone has variable disseminated to semi-massive sulphides, confirming a strongly mineralised breccia zone in the central plunging copper-gold shoot.
To date, Cooper has completed two diamond holes of the four planned at King Solomon, providing important structural and geochemical data from the three plunging shoots of higher-grade copper-gold mineralisation identified in 2022 RC drilling.
The new drill hole information along with data from a planned downhole electromagnetic survey (DHEM) will be used to design a campaign of deeper holes testing for depth extensions to the plunging shoots.
Looking ahead, drilling is expected to take another week, followed by a DHEM survey, geological interpretation and assays.
Drill core from hole 22MEDH002 ~ 84.9 metres downhole.
Strongly mineralised zone
Cooper managing director Ian Warland said: “Diamond drilling at King Solomon 1 is halfway completed and has intersected a strongly mineralised zone of around 11 metres downhole with semi-massive sulphides in brecciated rocks (23MEDH002).
“The drill hole was targeting the central plunging copper-gold shoot near to where RC hole 22MERC016 intersected 8 metres at 4.3% copper and 0.14 g/t gold.
“Geological logging and sampling continue to better understand the mineralisation controls and potential for mineralisation to extend at depth.
“The drilling has around a week to go and we will provide an update to the market as results come to hand.”
Visual sulphides
Diamond drilling has intersected visual sulphides in the first two holes - 23MEDH001 and 23MEDH002.
The most significant visual mineralisation to date has been logged in 23MEDH002 which is near RC hole 22MERC016.
The visual sulphides are consistent with the intersection in the RC hole with the diamond hole 23MEDH002 hitting a well-mineralised zone between 83 metres and 94 metres downhole.
Drill hole 23MEDH002 (~83.8 to 93 metres) showing sulphide mineralisation.
Forward plan
The next steps at King Solomon include:
- complete diamond drilling, assays and interpretation;
- commence DHEM surveys over completed diamond holes;
- plan follow up drill testing at King Solomon; and
- commence RC drill testing of regional targets.