Sarytogan Graphite Ltd (ASX:SGA) is making progress with copper exploration at the Baynazar Project in Kazakhstan having picked out its first target in the area following an extensive aeromagnetic survey.
The company has wrapped up a 3,348 line-kilometre survey across the entire project area, flown at 100-metre spacing.
First copper target
This survey revealed critical geological structures, including several large calderas, pointing to potential copper porphyry mineralisation under shallow cover.
One of the most promising areas is the Ilken prospect, in the northwest of the tenement, where soil sampling returned copper anomalies of up to 1,180 parts per million (ppm).
Sarytogan managing director Sean Gregory said: “Kazakhstan is an established mining jurisdiction with excellent prospectivity for copper porphyry mineralisation.
“This first target generated at the Baynazar Copper Exploration Project is named ‘Ilken’ and looks very promising with a confluence of anomalies from geological observations, soil sampling and aero-mag features.
“Further targets are expected from the data flowing in from a further five high-priority prospect areas.”
Copper evidence
Historical drilling in the region provides further evidence of copper mineralisation, with oxidised diorites near the surface and chalcopyrite and molybdenite observed at depth.
These previous reports indicate copper grades ranging between 0.02% and 0.1%, with increasing mineralisation with depth, though Sarytogan will need to conduct further drilling to verify these results.
The Ilken prospect also shows coincident anomalism in other elements often associated with copper porphyry systems, including molybdenum, bismuth, antimony, silver and tellurium.
Geological observations have revealed vuggy secondary quartz at the site of historical drill hole C-16, a characteristic alteration often linked to active hydrothermal systems associated with copper porphyries.
Vuggy secondary quartz at Ilken site of historical drill hole C-16.
Five other prospects
In addition to Ilken, Sarytogan is actively exploring five other prospects at the Baynazar Project.
At the Aurtas prospect, test pitting has revealed evidence of advanced argillic alteration and malachite, with rock chip samples grading up to 1.15 g/t gold, 32 g/t silver and 0.28% copper.
Soil sampling has shown some copper and lead anomalism, and the company plans to extend sampling grids based on aeromagnetic survey data.
Another key target is the Aminbay prospect, along the western margin of the Zhengeldy Caldera. Ancient artisanal mining activity has been noted here, with visible malachite occurrences. The company is awaiting results from soil samples at Aminbay, which are expected in the coming quarter.
Sarytogan is also conducting soil sampling at the Sanubi South prospect, where copper anomalism was detected at the edge of the grid, prompting an extension of the survey.
What’s next?
These additional samples are expected to be processed and reported in future announcements.
In the meantime, the company will continue its exploration program through to November, when winter conditions are expected to halt field activities.
The data collected from soil sampling and aeromagnetic surveys will be processed and used to define drilling targets for the next field season, with further updates on the way as results are received and analysed.
Copper in soils (ppm) above aeromagnetic image at Ilken Prospect. White horizontal lines are sampling fences, 250 metres apart. Three historical trenches and two shallow historical drill holes C-16 and C-19 are shown.