Cooper Metals Ltd (ASX:CPM) is gearing up for a comprehensive drill program amid the hunt for copper and gold at its Mt Isa East Project in northwest Queensland.
Preparation is underway to drill test the Python and King Solomon prospects as fieldwork continues to build a pipeline of copper-gold targets.
The explorer has completed earthworks across the property, paving the way for reverse circulation (RC) drilling to test a fixed loop electromagnetic conductor at Python and three plunging copper-gold shoots at King Solomon.
This program marks the next step in Cooper’s broader exploration journey, which began with reconnaissance rock chip sampling over anomalies identified earlier in the year in a regional, airborne versatile time domain electromagnetic (VTEM) survey.
Building the pipeline
Alongside the prospect drilling, Cooper is focused on raising up new copper-gold targets through regional geophysical and geochemical work.
Reconnaissance sampling in June, which followed the VTEM survey, has already highlighted some areas of interest.
It’s important to note that the VTEM anomalies may indicate a conductive response due to a variety of sources, including sulphide minerals.
Many of the VTEM anomalies are in areas inaccessible by vehicle, hence helicopter reconnaissance allows for a more rapid assessment of the potential source of the anomaly.
VTEM reconnaissance continues, with less than half of the anomalies visited to date.
A helicopter used to survey the VTEM anomalies.
Meanwhile, encouraging rock chip samples have come back from some of the anomalies, including a narrow copper vein with 11.2% copper and 1.4 g/t gold.
This anomaly coincides with a north-westerly trending Janice fault that has known small copper mineral occurrences located along it.
Copper is also investigating the exploration potential in established copper-gold hotspots, such as the Scorpion historical mine and the Sylvia May workings.
More to come
Commenting on work to date, Cooper managing director Ian Warland said: “The team is in the field undergoing preparation for RC drilling at Python and King Solomon copper-gold prospects, to commence within the next week.
“Reconnaissance sampling has also started at the new Ardmore tenement just to the north of Carnaby’s Mt Hope prospect and recent geochemical sampling over some of the VTEM anomalies identified in July and historical mineral occurrences is developing some exciting targets to follow up.
“We have a lot of exciting work to complete prior to the end of the year and look forward to updating the market with developments as they eventuate.”
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