Rumble Resources Ltd (ASX:RTR) says there’s more to explore at the WA-based Earaheedy Project, where its latest drilling campaign has expanded the Chinook zinc-lead prospect to 8 strike kilometres.
The multi-element explorer recently conducted infill and extensional drilling at the base metal property, adding extra mileage to the mineralised footprint and highlighting strong, continuous mineralisation at Chinook.
Beyond the zinc-lead findings, Rumble is also weighing Earaheedy’s copper potential. The ASX-lister believes there’s scope for a copper-dominated system after drilling revealed the metal is cross-cutting zinc and lead hits.
With the latest drill assays under its belt, Rumble is one step closer to releasing a maiden mineral resource estimate (MRE) for Earaheedy’s Chinook and Tonka-Navajoh prospects — a major step forward for the company’s flagship exploration asset.
Highlight reel
Rumble employed a reverse circulation (RC) rig to drill the final 54 infill and extensional holes along 200- and 400-metre line spacings.
Special attention was paid to Chinook’s Chikamin Feeder Fault zone, which is now confirmed to host strong zinc and lead mineralisation over 3 kilometres and remains open to the northwest.
Drill hole location plan at Chinook.
Some of the best results include:
- 8 metres at 3.78% zinc and lead from 57 metres, including 3 metres at 5.64% zinc and lead from 57 metres;
- 7 metres at 4.13% zinc and lead from 53 metres, including 3 metres at 7.00% zinc and lead from 53 metres;
- 80 metres at 1.32% zinc and lead from 89 metres, including 9 metres at 4.49% zinc and lead from 103 metres; and
- 15 metres at 3.13% zinc and lead from 127 metres, including 3 metres at 6.33% zinc and lead from 133 metres.
Copper on the cards
Rumble Resources is doubling down on Earaheedy’s broadening base metal potential after multi-element analysis revealed there could be room for copper in the project’s assay suite.
Work to date has outlined a northeast-trending fault with robust copper anomalism, with the nameplate intersection returning 19 metres at 0.43% copper from 204 metres, including a higher-grade 4-metre hit at 1.51%.
Since its discovery, Rumble has returned to its historical RC drilling records and found that all drill holes intersecting the fault and its immediate surroundings returned anomalous copper readings.
Downhole copper hits at Chinook.
Moving ahead, Rumble will keep the market abreast of any new copper finds at the Earaheedy asset.
Coming up
There’s plenty more news to come from the Rumble team in 2023, with exploration, a maiden mineral resource and metallurgical test-work all in the pipeline.
There’s a targeting program in the works, designed to pinpoint potential new feeder faults along Earaheedy’s Sweetwater trend, while further drilling is planned for this calendar year.
And as work continues on the maiden MRE (expected in the first half of 2023), Rumble is out to improve the “exceptional” zinc recoveries reported during last November’s test-work campaign.
Read more on Proactive Investors AU
